ENG - Heinrich Bullinger - Decades PDF

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BULLINGER'S DECADES.
tufft IJarftrt ôtietn*
^n^tituttn 'Si.m. pi.JBiKaTCxa.
iFor tfteDutJlication of ttje SSUorfeo of tfjc âtficre
auD ârlp 8y!3ritfr0 of tftclaeformrD
I2nglt0i) "Wvc%
THE DECADES
OF
HENRY BULLINGER,
MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF ZURICH.
TRANSLATED BY H. I.
THE FOURTH DECADE.
EDITED FOR
Etc liatfeer Society,

BY THE
REV. THOMAS HARDING, A.M.,
or WORCESTER COLLEGE, OXFORD, AND VICAR OF BEXLEV, IN KENT.
CAMBRIDGE:
PRINTED AT
THE UNIVERSITY PRESS.
M.DCCC.LI.
CONTENTS.
I'AOK
AoDExnA and Errata vii
The Fourth Decade.
The First Sermon ........

1
Tlie Second Sermon ....... 55
Dedication to Edward ^'1 115
Tlie Third Sermon 123
The Fourtli Sermon 173
Tlic Fifth Sermon 194
The Sixth Sermon 208
Tlie Seventh Sermon 273
The Eighth Sermon 297
The Ninth Sermon 327
The Tenth Sermon SfiS

ADDENDA.
Page 229, line 23. See Bullinger de Orig. Error. Lib. i. cap. 5. fol. 22. Tigur.
153y.
245, " 37- Owe: own, possess. Shakspeare. Twelfth Night. A.i.lSc. 6.
Ourselves we do not owe.
ERRATA.
Page 73, note 9, f

^^^ ,.^^^^^" ^^^^ ^.^^ ^
102, _
2,^
"
185, 5, for spinosa" read spinose.
1U(), line 33, read, representation or likeness.
" "
209, note 1, for 133" read 132."
223, line 5, place a comma at obedient.

229 24 J
'
for "animcE" read areiwite.
231, " "'{S
20,
304, " 9, place a comma after curiously.

"
318, note 1, for note 2" read note 1,
"
348, dele note 4" and substitute [""See 329, and Hutchinson's
above, page
Works, ed. Parker Soc. p. 134,]
"
353, "
note 3."
THE
FOURTH DECADE OF SERMONS,

WRITTEN BY
HENRY BULLINGER.
OF THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD, WHO HATH

GIVEN HIS SON UNTO THE WORLD, AND IN
HIM ALL THINGS NECESSARY TO SAL-
VATION
i, THAT WE, BELIEVING
IN HIM, MIGHT OBTAIN
ETERNAL LIFE.
THE FIRST SERMON.
After exposition of the law, and those points of

the
doctrine that depend upon the law 2, I think it best now to
to the handling of the
come
gospel, which in the exposition
of the law and other places else hath been mentioned often-
times.
Now therefore, dearly beloved, as I have been hi-
therto
helped with your prayers to God, so here again I
request your earnest supplications^ with me to the Father,
that I by his holy Spirit may speak the truth to your edifi-
cation^
in this present argument.
Evangelium is a Greek word ; but is received of the Evanocuum.,
""^ ^"''"''"
Latins and Germans,
and at this day used as a word of their
own. It is compounded of ev, which signifieth good, and
ayyeWw, to tell tidings. For Evangelium signifieth the
telling of good tidings, or happy news : as is wont to be
blown abroad, when, the enemies being put to foil,we
raise
the siege of any city, or obtain some notable victory over
our foes. Theis attributed to any joyful
word and lucky
news
concerning any matter luckily accomplished.
[1 verse salutis omnia, Lat, ; all things pertaining to true salva-

tion.]
[2 aut legi utcunqiie adhserent, Lat. omitted ; or are in some way

connected with the law.]
[3 Rather, your supplications, and those most earnest.]
[4 with me "
edification, the translator's addition.]

[BULLINGER,
III.J
2 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
apostles did willingly use that term ; not so much

The
because the prophets had used it before them^, as for that it
doth wonderfully contain, and doth as it were lay before
ou:' eyes, the manner and work of our salvation accomplished
by Christ, whereunto they have applied the word Evan-
gelium^. The prophet Esay, as Luke interpreteth it,bringeth
in Christ our Lord speaking in this manner :
"
The Spirit
of the Lord upon me, because he hath anointed me
evay-
is, to preach the gospel hath he
yeXiaaaOai ; that sent
isai. ixi. me, to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance unto
the captive, and recovering of sight unto the blind, freely

to set at liberty them that are bruised, and to preach the
acceptable year of the Lord." Lo here, the Saviour of the
world doth in the prophet and the evangelist expound to us

what Evangelium is,and whereunto it tendeth. The Fa-
ther," "
saith he, hath sent me

"
to preach Evangelium, the
gospel, to the poor." And immediately after, to shew who
those poor should be, he addeth ; which are broken-hearted,
"
or broken- minded ;" to wit, such as find in themselves no
soundness or but, utterly despairing of their own

health ;
strength, do wholly depend upon the help of Christ their

cunning and willing physician^. Now the gospel, or good
tidings,which is shewed to the* afflicted,is this; that the
Son of God is descended from heaven to heal the sick and
diseased souls. To which also, to make it more evident, he
addeth another caused saying, that the Son of God is come
"
to preach deliverance unto captives, and the recovering of
sight to the blind," "c. For all men are held captive in the
bonds of damnation : they do all serve a sorrowful slavery
under their cruel enemy Satan : they are all kept blind in
the darkness of errors ; and to them it is that redemption,
deliverance, and the acceptable year^ of the Lord, is preached.
Now this joyful tidings is called Evangelium, the gospel.
[^ Bullinger refers to the Hebrew word "IJiJ^^

which the LXX.
by his Comment,
often render euayyeX/fw. See in Matth. fol. 1. Ti-
gur. 1542, whence much also of this definition of the gospel is ex-
tracted
[2 whereunto " Evangelium,

the translator's
addition.]
P cunning (skilful) and willing, not in Lat.]
[4his, Lat. ; to these.] [s alia, Lat. ; other benefits.]
[6 verus uti(iue annus jubileus, Lat.]
OF THE GOSPEL. 3
I.]
Therefore the gospel is of all men in a manner after The pospcj,
this sort defined : The gospel is a good

and word, a sweet
and an
assured testimony of God's grace to us-ward, exhibited
in Christ unto all believers. Or else : The gospel is the most
evident sentence of the eternal God, brought down from

heaven, absolving all believers from all their sins, and that
too freely, for Christ his sake, with a promise of eternal hfe.
These definitionsare gathered out of the testimonies of the
evangelists and apostles ; for St Luke bringeth in the angel
of the Lord speaking to the amazed shepherds, and saying :
"
Fear not ; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great
joy,that shall be to all people : for unto you is born this

day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the
Lord." Lo here, he taketli from the shepherds all manner
of fear with the bringing of good tidings; that is, with the
preaching of health, which is a thing that is full of joy
and always bringeth gladness with it. The tidings are,
that there is born the Saviour of the world, even the Lord
Jesus Christ : he is born ; and that too unto and for us ; that
is,to the health and salvation of us mortal men. St Paul
promised afore of God by the

"
saith, that the gospel was [Rom. i.
prophets in the holy scripture of his Son, which was made

of the seed of David after the flesh; who hath been declared
to be the Son of God with power, after the Spirit that sanc-
tifieth, by his resurrection from the dead." And again :

Thegospel is the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to [Rom. x\i.
"
the revelation^, which hath been kept close from before be-
ginnings,
*
but is now made manifest, and by the "writings of
the prophets opened to all nations unto the obedience of faith,
according to the appointment of the eternal God." And
yet again more briefly he saith : "

The gospel is the power [Rom i. ic]
of God unto salvation to all that do believe ;" that is to say,

the gospel is the preaching of God's power, by which all
they are saved that do believe. But Christ is the power of
God: for he is said to be the arm, the glory, the virtue,
and brightness of the Father. Now Christ bringeth sal-

vation
to every one that doth believe : for he is the Saviour
of all.
Of all this we do now gather
o
this definitionof the holy ''
The defini-
,
tionofthe
gospel : The gospel is the heavenly preaching of God's grace so^pei.
[7 revelationem mysterii, Lat.]

1"2
4 THE rouuTH decade. [sekm.
to u3-ward, wherein it is declared to all the world, being set

in the wrath and indignation of God, that God the Father
of heaven is pleased in his only-begotten Son, our Lord
Christ
Jesus, whom, as he promised of old to the holy fathers, he
hath now in these latter times ^ exhibited to us, and in him
hath 2 given us all things belonging to a blessed life and
eternal salvation, as he that for us men was incarnate, dead,
and raised from the dead again, was taken up into heaven,
and is made our only Lord and Saviour, upon condition
that we, acknowledging our sins, do soundly and surely^ be-
lieve
in him.
This definition,I confess, is somewhat with the longest:
but yet withal I would have you think, that the matter,
which is in this definition described, is itself very large and
ample ; which I have therefore in this long definition or
description, with as great light as
I could, endeavoured self
my-
to make manifest to all men. AYherefore I neither
could nor
should have expressed it more briefly. This nition
defi-
consisteth of justparts, which being once severally

expounded and throughly opened, every man, I hope, shall
evidently perceive the nature, causes, effects,and whatsoever

else is good to be known, concerning the gospel.
That the First of all; that the gospel is tidings come from heaven,
tuiinRsfrora
heaven. and uot bco;un
O
on earth, that doth most of all argue, because
'
"
_ _ . .
God our heavenly Father did himself firstpreach that tidmgs

to our miserable parents after their fall in paradise, mising
pro-
his Son, who, being incarnate"*,should crush the ser-
pent's
head. Then again, the apostle Paul doth in express
[Hob. i. 1,
words say: "God in time past, at sundry times, and in
divers manners, spake unto the fathers by the prophets, and
hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son." And
[John i. 18; Johu bcforo him is read to have testified,
saying :
"
No man
hath seen God at any time ; the only-begotten Son, which

is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." And
again : He that cometh from on high is above all : he that

"
is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth : he that
cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen
[1 now "
times, not in Lat.]
[2 plene, Lat. omitted ; fully.]
[3modo credamus, Lat. soundly "
and surely, not in Lat.]

["*incarnandus, Lat. ; being to bo incarnate.]
I.] OF THE GOSPEL. 5
and heard, that he testifieth." To this belongeth, that the

prophets were bcheved to have propliesicd by the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit. Now they did in the holy scriptures
foreshow the gospel : the especial or chief points
whereof
were by angels descending from heaven declared unto men.
For the incarnation of the Son of God is by the archangel
Gabriel told first to the holy virgin, and after that again
to Joseph, the supposed Father of Christ, ^
and tutor of the
unspotted virgin. The same angel did preach to the shep-
herds
the birth of the Son of God. Moreover, to the women
that came to the grave, minding after their country-manncr
to anoint the body of the Lord, the angels declared that ho
was risen from the dead again. The same angels at the
Lord's ascension did testify to the apostles, whose eyes were
turned and surely fixed into the clouds, that ho was taken
up into heaven, and that from thence he should come again
to judgethe quick and the dead. And to all these testimonies
may be added the voice of the eternal Father himself uttered

from heaven upon our Lord
Saviour, sayinff,
and "This is [W'^tt.
'
iii.ir-,
J S3' Lukeix.
1 o "
3J.]
my beloved Son, in whom I am pleased ; hear him :" which
testimony of the Father the blessed apostle Peter doth in
the zeal of the Spirit repeat in the firstchapter of his second
epistle. Therefore the preaching of the gospel is a divine

speech, unreprovable, and brought down from heaven : which
whosoever believe, they do believe the word of the eternal
God ; and they that believe it not, do despise and the
reject
word of God. For it ceaseth not to be the word of God Thegospeiis
because it is preached by the ministery of men. For of the God.auiumgh
apostles we do read that the Lord did say : "It is not ye i^y
i^^"'"*^
"^ "/ "/ try of
men.
that speak, but the Spirit of ray Father which is within you." ^Matt.x. 20.]
And therefore wo read, that they departed not from Hieru-

salem, until they were first instructed from above, and had
received the Holy Ghost, Neither is there any cause why

the word of God should be tied to the apostles only, as
though after the apostles no man did preach the word of
God. For our Lord in St John's gospel doth plainly say :
"Verily I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I[Johnxir.
send receiveth me ; and he that receiveth me receiveth him
that sent me." Now our Lord, the high priest and chief
bishop of his catholic church, doth send, not apostles only,
[5 i.e. guardian.]
THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
but all them also that are lawfully called and do bring the
word of Christ. Therefore we understand it to be spoken

concernino; all the lawful ministers of the church, where the
[Jol Lord doth say, "Whose sins soever ye forgive, they are
23.]
forgiven them ; and whose sins soever ye retain, they are
[Matt.xviii. retained:" and
again, "Whatsoever thou loosest on earth,
shall be loosed in heaven ; and whatsoever thou bindest on
earth, shall be bound in heaven." in another place

For
[Malt.X. 15.]the Lord saith : "Verily

I say unto you, It shall be easier
for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment,
than for that city that receiveth you not, and heareth not
your sayings." Now who knowcth not with how filthy and
horrible sin the men of Sodom did defile themselves; and
that the Lord rained fire,brimstone, and pitch from heaven,
wherewith he burnt up both the city and her inhabitants ?
Who therefore cannot gather thereupon, that rebels and
blasphemers of the gospel of Christ do sin more grievously
than the Sodomites did ; and that God, which is a sure re-
venger,
will surely plague them for it, either in this life,or
in the world to come,else in both, with unspeakable

or
miseries and endless torments ? Let us therefore believe

the gospel of the Son of God, firstpreached to the world by
God the Father, then by the patriarchs, after that of the
prophets, and lastly of the only-begotten Son of God Christ
Jesus, and his apostles ; whose heavenly voice doth even at
this day sound to us in the mouths of the ministers,sincerely

preaching the gospel unto us.
The Rospel Secondarily, we have consider what it is that the

to
preacheth
grace. heavenly preaching of the gospel doth shew unto the world ;
to wit, the grace of God our heavenly Father. For the
apostle Paul in the twentieth chapter of the Acts saith,

"that he received the ministry of the Lord Jesus, to testify
the gospel of the grace of God," Now therefore I will at
this present say so much of the grace of God as is sufficient
for this place.
The word, The word"gnice" is diversly used in the holy scrip-
tures,
grace.
even as it isin profane writings also. For in the Bible
it signifieth thanksgiving, and also a benefit, and alms ; as
2 Cor. viii. Moreover, it signifiethpraise and recompence, as
in that place where the apostle saith : "If, when ye do well,
ye are atUictcd, and yet do bear it ; that is praiseworthy
OF THE GOSPEL. 7
I.]
before GocP." It doth also signifyfaculty or licence; as when
we say, that one hath gotten grace to teach and execute an
office. For the apostle saith that he received grace; and im- [iiom.i.s.j
mediately, to expound his own meaning, he addeth, to execute

the office of an apostle. Moreover the gifts of God are
called grace, because they are given gratis, and freely be-
stowed
without looking for of any recompence. And yet Paul,

in the fifthto the Romans, distinguisheth a gift from grace :
for grace doth signify the favour and good-will of God toward
us ; but a
gift is a thing which God doth give us of that
good-will, such as are faith,constancy, and integrity. They
are said to have found grace with God, whom God doth
dearly love and favour more than other. In that sense Noah
found grace in the eyes of the Lord : Joseph found grace in
the eyes of the lord of the prison : and the holy virgin is read
to have found grace with the Lord, because she was beloved
of God, and very dear unto the Lord, as she whom he had
sino-ularly chosen from among all other women. But in this The grace of
O "/ O God,
" 1 /. what
place andpresent argument is the "grace"
and favour it is.
goodness of the eternal Godhead, wherewith he, according to

his incomprehensible goodness, doth gratis,freely, for Christ
his sake embrace, call,justify,
and mortal men. save us
Now here methinketh, before we go any further, it is

not amiss to examine and search out the cause of this God's
love to us exhibited. For we see that there is a certain re-
lation
^
betwixt the favour of God and us men to whom his
favour is so bent. It is a matter neither hard nor tedious to
be found out. For in us there is nothing wherewith God can The cause of
be in love, or wherewithal he may be moved or stirred up to

embrace yea, insomuch as we are all unpure^ sinners,and
us :
that God is holy, just, he hath

and a revenger of iniquities,
matter enough to find in us, for which he may be angry at
and with justrevengement plague us. So then the cause of
God's love to us-wards must of necessity be not in us, nor in
any other thing beside God (considering that nothing is more
in God himself'*. Moreover
excellent than man),but even the
most true scripture doth teach us, that God is of his own clination
in-
naturally good, gentle, and, as Paul calleth him, p/a7- [xitusui. 4.j
[1 gratia apud Deum, Lat. ; 1 Pet. ii. 20. Auth. Mavg.

tJiank.]
[2correlationcm, Lat.] P impurissimi, Lat.]
[4 ejusquenatura, Lat. omitted; and in his
nature.]
anthropon, a lover of us men, who hath sent his own' Son, of

his own nature, into the world for our redemption : whereupon
it doth consequently follow, that God doth freely, of himself
and for his Son's sake, love man, and not for any other cause.
Whereby all the preparaments, incitaments, and
immediately
merits of men, being dissolved by the fire of God's great love,
do vadc and pass away like smoke. For the grace of God is
altogether free ; and unless it be so, I cannot see how it can
be called grace. But it behoveth us in a thing so
weighty
to cite some
evident testimonies of the holy scripture, to con-
firm
our
minds withal against all sophistical triflesand temp-
[john iii. tations of the devil. Our Lord in the gospel said : So God "
loved the world, that he

gave his only-begotten Son for the
world, that every one which believe in him should not perish,
but have lifeeverlasting." Lo here, this good-will of God,
which is the favour and love wherewith God embraceth us, is

the cause
salvation. For Christ, having suffered for us,
of our
is our salvation. Now God^ of very love hath given Christ

both to us, and for us^ Neither may we think, that God was
firstmoved by our love to him-ward to shew like mutual love
to us
again, and to give his Son for us ; for he had deter-
mined,
before the beginning of the world, to work our redemp-
tion
through Christ his Son. And John the Evangelist in his
"
canonical epistle saith : Herein is love, not that we

"
loved
lu.]
God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be an ment
atone-
for our sins."
To
these testimonies, although sufficiently
plain and strong
enough, I will yet add some proofs out of the apostle Paul ;
that so this argument may be more evident, and that the
great agreement may appear which is betwixt evangelists
and apostles in this doctrine of grace'*. Paul therefore saith^:
[Rom. ii. "All have sinned, and stand in need of^ the glory of God;
but are justifiedfreely by his grace, through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesu." Again to the Ephesians he saith :
"
Ye are
saved through grace by faith,and that not of your-
selves,
it is the gift of God : not of works, lest any man
\} unicum, Lat. ;
only.]
[2 Pater Dous, Lat. ; God the Father.]
[3 and for us, not in Lat.] [} totius doctrince, Lat.]
[5 ad Romanos, Lat.
omitted.]
[^'dcstituuntur, Lat. and Erasmus.]
OF THE GOSPEL. 9
I.]
should boast"/' Again to Titus : The grace and love of "
God our Saviour towards all men hath appeared, not of the
works of our own righteousness which we did, but according
to his mercy Likewise, in the second
hath he
saved us^."
Epistle to Timothy, the firstchapter, he saith : " God hath
saved us, and hath called us with an holy calling,not accord-

ing
to but according to his own
our
works, purpose and
grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus^." I think, verily,
that if a man had been set of purpose to have feigned any-
thing
for the defence of this matter, he could not have
framed any sentence so fit and evident as these words are.
So now it is manifest, that the grace of God is altogether
free, as that Avhich excludcth all our works and merits ; and The cause of
" "
^^'^ gospel.
1 p I'll 1 "
this free love of God is the only cause and true beguining
of the gospel : for which cause Paul calleth the gospel the
^
preaching of grace.
But doth
now,
although the grace of God not depend The working
1 ,n 11. .1, 1.1.^1 of God's
upon us or our works*", yet doth it not idly abide in God, as g^ce.
if it wereutterly without us and altogether far from us, as

the thing that is neither felt nor yet worketh in us. For
we understood by the cited testimonies, that grace is the
favour of God wherewith he loveth us men ; we understood
that mensaved by grace : for since God loveth men,
are
he would not have them perish ; and therefore he hath

through grace sent his Son to deliver them from destruction,
and that in him the justiceand mercy of God might be known
to all the world. But none are delivered save those that
believe ; therefore grace hath somewhat whereby to work in
raan^^: for by the pouring of the Holy Ghost into our
hearts, the understanding and will are instructed in the faith.
To be short, grace (asI have already ^^ told
you) doth call,
justify,save, or
glorify the faithful: so that we must make
account, that the whole work of our salvation and all
.our
the virtues of the godly do proceed of the only grace of
God alone, whose working we do at all times acknowledge
['Epli. ii.8. 9, gratia per fidem, Lat.]
[8Titus iii.4. 5, erga homines, Lat.]
[9 per Christum, Lat.

and Erasmus.]
[10or our works, not in Lat.]
[11Rather, therefoi-e again grace hath something to work in
man.]
[12in finitione,Lat. omitted; in the definition.]
10 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
and confess'. And that is again proved both by divine and

[Rom. viii. human testimonies. Paul to the Romans saith : "Those
which he knew
before, he also did predestinate : and those
"which he did predestinate, he also called: and those whom
he called,he also justified:
and those whom he justified,he
also glorified. AVhat shall we then say to these things ?

If God be on our side, who can be against us ? Which
spared not his own Son, but gave him for

us^ how shall he
not with him also give us all things?" Again, in the first
chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians, he hath referred the
whole work of election and salvation, with all the parts
thereof, unto the grace of God. ^Moreover, the holy fathers
in the council Mileventanum, among whom also St Augustine
was this decree touching the grace of God :
present, made
If any man say, that mercy is without the grace of God
"
bestowed from above upon us, believing, willing, desiring,,

endeavouring, studying, asking, seeking, and striving, (as of
ourselves doth not confess, that even to believe, to will,
;)
and to be able to do all these things as we should do, is
wrought by the pouring in and inspiration of the Holy
Ghost ; if he jointhe humility or obedience of man as an
help unto grace^ ; and if he doth not consent that it is the
very gift of grace, even that we are humble and obedient ;

he is directly contrary to the apostle,who saith, * For what
hast thou that thou hast not received ?' and, By the '
grace of God I am that I am*.'" Thus much say they.

Now these divine and human testimonies being throughly
\} ubique,Lat. : throughout.] p pro nobis omnibus, Lat.]
[3 ilore correctly, and maketh the help of grace to follow after
cither man's humility or obedience. Beveridge
"
on the Thirty-Nine
Articles, Vol. i. p. 383. Oxf. 1840.]
\} There in the reference : the following is the canon
is a mistake
meant : Si quis sine gratia Dei credcntibus, volentibus, conantibus, la-

borantibus, vigilantibus, studcntibus, petentibus, qufcrentibus, pulsan-
tibus nobis miscricordiam dioit conferri divinitus ; non autem ut
credamus, vclimus, vel ha?c omnia sicut oportet ngere valeamus per
infusionem Spiritus Sancti in nobis fiericonfltetur ; et aut humilitati
aut obedicntitT)humancc subjungit gratia) adjutorium, nee ut obedientes
et humiles simus ipsius gratia^ donum esse consentit ; resistitapostolo

dicenti, Quid habcs quod non acccpisti? et, Gratia Dei stem id quod sum.
"
Concil. Arausic. ii. can. 6. Concil. Labb. et Cossart. Tom. iv. col.
1668. Par. 1671. This second council of Orange was held a.d. 629.
Augustine was dead Ions; beforo.l
OF THE GOSPEL. 11
I.]
considered, there is none, I hope, which may not understand

that the grace of God is the same that I told you ; to wit,
the favour and good-will of the eternal Godhead, wherewith
he according to his incomprehensible goodness doth embrace,
call, justify,
and save men freely for Christ his sake, our
Lord and Saviour.
The blessed man Aurelius Augustine had
sharp conflict a
with Pelagius the Briton concerning the grace of God. For .^cr^Ttwix
pe,'"|iu
the heretic did by grace understand nothing but the benefit,f,;,f
grateol^Goa
of the creation ; which as Augustine denied not to be grace,
so did he
vehemently urge that the apostle^ did especially
speak of that free grace, whereby, without any merit of curs,
we are freely saved for Christ his sake. This did he urge there-
fore
the earnestly, because he saw
more that'' the heretic
affirmed that his own human nature was sufficientunto liim^,

not to do only, but also to do perfectly,the commandments
of God by free-will. But of these matters St Augustine

doth very largely and religiouslydispute in his ninety-fifth
Epistle,Ad Innocentium^.
Many of the late writers, for teaching's sake, have di-vided
grace into grace that doth things acceptable, and grace '"â^^f^''
that is gratis or freely given : again, they have divided it into f^ôraOa
working grace, and joint- working grace : finally,they part iy'ôratfa'
it into grace that goeth before, and grace that followeth after. "^ll\'^c^
And the very same writers also reckon up the operations 4. oratik
or effects of grace after this manner almost : grace healeth et gratia
D o
subsequens.
[5 Apostolos, Lat. ; the apostles.]

[6Pelagium, Lat. omitted.]
\}Rather, that human nature was sufficient unto itself.]
aliique episcopi, inter quos Augustinus,
[8 Aixrelius Innoccntio
Papa;, de Pelagio qucm audierant jam ad i^resbyterii gradiim evec-
tum. Aug. Ep. 95. (in the Benedictine

" Edition, 177.)Op. Par. 1531.
Vol. fol. 83. col. 2.
II. In the course of this epistle it is charged
against Pelagius, ilium dicere"
gratiam, quam etiam cum impiis ha-

bemus, cum quibus homines sumus ; negarc vero earn qua Christiani
et filiiDei and it is replied,
sumus :
" Etsi enim quadam non
"
im-
probanda ratione dicitur gratia Dei, qua creati sumus quia non ....
prsecedentium aliquorum operum meritis, sed gratuita Dei bonitato

donata alia est tamen
est; qua prsedestinati vocamur, justificamur,
glorificamur. It is also stated that Pelagius affirmed, non solum "
ad facienda, verum etiam ad perficienda mandata divina per liberum

arbitrium humanam sibi sufficero naturam,
"
as here alleged by Bul-
linger.]
the soul, and maketh it firstto will well, and then to work
effectuallythe thing that it willeth : so it causeth it to per-

severe
in goodness, and at length to come to eternal glory.
But 1 am not so careful to reckon of up the sentences
writers, to shew you every several opinion, (which

one's both
were an excessive labour, and also more than my ability is
to do); as I am willing to cite the places of scripture (which
is the one and only rule how to think, and how to judge
rightly), to shew you thereby what the scripture

Avould have
you think : as I have in my former treatise. Of the grace of
God, both briefly and evidently enough, I hope, declared unto
you. And also the discourse of Christ \ which followeth
hereafter, (throughwhom the Father
poured the most hath
excellent and heavenly grace into us,)shall help to make up

that which seemeth to be wanting here.
We are But uow, bcfore I depart from this argument, I thought
^
grac'e.^ good to admouish you, that the sentences of God's word do
not jaramong themselves, when we do in sundry places read
and hear, first,that we

saved are freely or by the grace of
God ; then, that we saved by the love of God ; thirdly,
arc
that we are saved through the mercy of God ; fourthly, that

we are saved through Christ ; fifthly, that we are saved
through the blood, or death, or incarnation of Christ ; and
lastly, that we are saved through faith in Christ, or in the
mercy or grace of God. For all these speeches tend to one
and the same end, and do ascribe the whole glory and cause
of man's salvation unto the very mercy or
grace of God.
The pledge of grace, yea, and our only Saviour, is the only-
begotten Son of God betrayed unto death. Sincere faith
layeth hold ongrace in Christ, and nothing else.
mere
God exhibit- Kow therefore, having thus expounded according to my

t_ouyn
Christ.
small ability that which I had to speak in general of the
grace of God, I do here descend to handle that singular or
particular work of God's grace, which is nothing else but
that the merciful Father hath exhibited to us his Son in that
manner and order as he promised him to us in the old pro-
phets,
and that in him he hath fully given us all things
requisite to eternal life*and absolute felicity; because he is
the Lord and Messiah, or only and true Saviour, which was
[1 disputatio do Christo, Lat.]

p salutis, Lat.]
OF THE GOSPEL. 13
I.]
incarnate, dead, raised to life,and taken up into heaven
for U3 and our salvation. For Christ is both kino- and hiuh
priest, that is, our Saviour ; he is the mark, the star, and
very sun-light of the preaching of the gospel. Now in expounding
these things particularly I will use this course and
order. First of all, I will out of the law and the prophets
recite unto you some evident promises of Christ^ made by God

unto the church; which shall be those especially that the
apostles themselves have already touched and expounded.
Secondly, I will prove unto you that God hath now
per-
formed
that which he promised so long ago ; to wit, that he
hath already exhibited to us his only-begotten Son ; and that
he is that true and so long-looked-for Lord and Messiah, which
should come to save the world. Lastly, I will shew you how that
in this Son the Father is pleased and reconciled to the world
again : in whom also he hath fully given us all things requisite
to eternal life and absolute felicity. For he for us and for
our salvation was incarnate, dead, raised to life again, and

taken up into heaven, there to be a Mediator for ever and
in these points do lie
advocate unto his Father'*. And
the lively veins of the gospel, which flow with wholesome
waters eternal life; for in them doth consist the sound
unto
consolation of the faithful,and the enduring tranquillityof a
quiet conscience : without them there is no lifeor quiet rest.
promises made by God concerning Christ, which are The promises
The
uttered in the holy scriptures,are threefold, or of three sorts : cZut'oSr

I therefore, to make them the plainer unto you, do divide the
promises of one and the same sort according to the times.

The first promises were made to the patriarchs or ancient
fathers before the giving of the law : and these again consist
of two sorts ; for one sort

plain, uttered evi-of them
dently are
in simple words, without all types and figurative
shadows ; the other sort are figurative and couched under

types.
firstand most evident promise of all was made by the The erst
The
very mouth of God unto our firstparents, Adam and Evah, glsîfX'
preaching of
'
1 I'liii.. ",
bemg oppressed with death, calamities, and the horrible fear f^^ '.'^'"gs-
Gen. 111.
"
C 1, -1 1
^
ol God s revenging hand lor their transgression ; which pro-
[3 eximias promissiones tie Christo, Lat.]

[4 there to be Father, not in the
"
original.]
["5of God's transgression, not in Lat.]
"
mise is,as it were, the pillarand base of all christianreligion,

whereupon the preaching of the gospel is altogether founded,
and out of which all the other promises in a manner are
derived. That is contained in these words of the

promise
Lord : I will put enmity betwixt thee" (meaning the ser-
"
pent,
the devil, I say, in the "and the woman ^ and
serpent)^
betwixt thy seed and her seed ; and it shall tread down thy
head, and thou shalt tread upon his heel." God in these
words promiseth seed ; the seed, I say, not of man, but of

woman and that too, of the most
; excellent woman, to wit,
that most holy virgin Mary, the woman that was blessed
among all other women. For she conceived, not by any man,
but by the Holy Ghost and, being a virgin still,was

; livered
de-
of Christ our Lord : who by dying and rising again

did not only vex or wound, but also crush and tread down,
the head, that is,the kingdom of Satan, to wit, sin, death,
and damnation ; taking away and making utterly void all the
power and tyranny of that our enemy and deceiver. In the
meanwhile Satan trod on Christ his heel ; that is to say, he,
by his members Caiphas, Pontius Pilate,the Jews and Gentiles,
did with exquisite torments and death vex and kill the flesh,
which was in Christ the lowest part, even as the heel is to the
[Psal.xxil body 2. For the Lord in the Psalms saith : I am a worm,

"
",I.';.]
and no man. They have brought my life into the dust."
But he rose again from the dead. For had he not
risen
again, he But
had not trodden down the serpent's head.
now, by his rising,he is become the Saviour of all that do
believe in him. Out of this promise is derived that singular
and notorious one, which the angel of the Lord reciteth unto
[Gen. xxii. our father Abraham in these words following : " In thy seed
la]
shall all the nations of the world be blessed." But Paul, in
[Gal. iii. 16.] his
epistle to the Galatians, doth in express words declare, that
that blessed seed is ours*, which was promised to Abraham.
Now our Lord is called by the name of seed because of the
firstpromise made to Adam and Evah, and because he Avas for
us incarnate and made very man. Neither is this promise re-
[1 in the sci-pent,not in Lat.]

[2 et inter illam muliercm, Lat.]
[3 even as body, not in Lat.]
"
['Christum illud esse semen bonedictum, Lat. ; that that blessed
seed is Christ.]
OF THE GOSPEL. 15
I.]
pugnant to tlic first; for although Christ our Lord be hero

called the seed, or son, of Abraham ; yet is he no other way
referred unto Abraham than by the virgin, which was the
daughter of Abraham and mother of Christ. Now what good
doth the son of Abraham to us by his incarnation ? Forsooth,
he blesseth us. But a blessing is the contrary unto a curse.
Therefore what cause^ soever we drew from the sin of Adam,
that doth and bless us with all spiritual
Christ heal in us,
blessing. Neither doth he bestow this benefit upon a few

in
alone, but upon all the nations of the world that do believe
him.
Thepatriarch Jacob, being inspired with the Holy Ghost,
foretold the chances that should betide his children'';and at
length when he came to Juda among the rest, he saith ;
"The sceptre shall not depart from Juda, and a law-giver'^[Gen.xiix.
from between his feet, tillSchilo come ; and unto him shall
the gathering of the people be." Lo here, in these words
the Messiah is only promised, but the very time also
not
is prescribed, when he should be incarnate, with a declaration
both what and how far forth he should be. The kingdom,
saitb he, shall remain under Juda until the coming of the
Saviour^ : and albeit that the tribe of Juda shall not always
have kings to govern them, yet shall it not lack nobles,
captains,lawgivers, learned men and sages, to rule the people.

And therefore the evangelical history doth faithfully witness,
that Christ came at that time when
all power, authority, and
rule translated
was to the Romans, unto whose emperor, Octa-
vius Augustus, the Jews were enforced to pay taxes and tribute.
Now Schilo signifieth fehcity, or the author of felicity; it
signifiethplenty, store, and abundance of all excellent things.

For Christ is the treasury of all good things. And the
Chaldee interpreter, where he findeth Schilo, translateth it
Christ. Finally, to him, as to their Saviour, shall all people
be gathered : as did afterward most
the prophets plainly
declare, Esay in the second, and Micheas in the fourth chap-
ters
of their books or prophecies.
Furthermore, the types and figures of Christ are Noah
[5 A misprint in all the editions for curse : quicquid maledictionis,

Lat.]
[0 et res futuras, Lat. omitted ; and things to
come.]
i' vel scriba, Lat. omitted ; or a
scribe.] [8 Christi, Lat.]
preserved in the ark ; for in Christ are the faithfulsaved ;

as St Peter tcstifieth,
1 Pet. iii. Abraham oifereth up Isaac,
his only-begotten upon the top of the same
son, mountain
where many years after the only-begotten Son of God was
offered upon the cross^ Joseph is by his brethren sold to the
heathen, he is cast in prison ; but being delivered he doth
become their Saviour, and is of all the people called the pre-
server
of the Egyptian kingdom. In all these things was
Christ our Lord prefigured.
The
later promises also are of two sorts ; either openly un-
covered,
or hidden as it were under a
veil or figure. They are
contained in the law and the prophets even tillthe time of the
captivity of Babylon. The blessed apostle Peter doth in the
third chapter of the Acts cite the prophecy of Moses touching
the coming of the greatest of all prophets. The prefigured
which Paul in his epistle

promises^ of Christ are the sacrifices,
to the Hebrews doth in a
wonderful summary shortly declare.
The same Paul, in the fifth of the first to the Corinthians,
applieth the paschal lamb to Jesus Christ. The like doth

iPet. 1. Peter in his first epistle^ Again, the stony rock that was
[1 Cor.
X. 4.] struck, and gushed out with water^, St Paul calleth Clu'ist.
14,
John [iii. And Christ himself in the gospel after St John doth say, that
he was prefigured in the brascn serpent, which was liftup in
the desert : the mystery whereof I have in another place
more fully declared^. Many more there are like unto these ;
a
good part whereof I have already touched, when I had
occasion to treat of the ceremonies and their signification^

;
where he that listeth may read of it at large.

The unfigured and uncovered promises are almost without
number in the Psalms and the prophets. Yea, the Lord him-
Luke[xxiv. self in the gospel after St Luke doth testify,that the descrip-
tion
of all his officeand business is at large contained in the

law, the prophets, and the Psalms. And when St Peter had
preached the gospel, wherein he promised both Christ and the
full remission of sins to all that believed, he did immediately
[1 See Vol. II. page 151.1

[2Rather, the promises in a figure.] p in I. capita, Lat.]
[* Rather, and the water that flowed out. Cf. BuUinger, Comment,
in loc.
cit.]
[5 See Vol. II. p. 339 ; also, The Old Faith, p. 44.]
[6 See Decade III. Serra. 6.]
add: "All the prophets also from Samuel and these tliat[Actsiii.
24.]
followed in order, as many as have spoken, have likewise
told you of these days." David verily, in the second, twenty-
second, and hundred and tenth Psalms, hath notably set down
the two of Christ, his Godhead
natures and his manhood.
Again, he hath laid before all men's eyes" his wholesome^
preaching, his eternal priesthood, his everlasting redemption,
and most bitter^ death and passion'". What shall I say of
the prophet Esay ? who was, by no small doctor of the church
of Christ, very worthily called an evangelist''rather than a
prophet : as if he had written a story of things already past
and done by Christ, and not of things that should be done :
so truly did he foretellthe state
of Christ '^ Now he maketh'^
Christ to be very God and very man, born after the flesh of
the unspotted virgin ; who had to preach the word of life,
like a good shepherd to feed his fearful sheep, to be the light
of the Gentiles unto the utmost parts of the earth, to give

sight to the blind, to heal the lame and diseased ; to be betrayed
by his own, to be spit upon, to be smitten, to be hanged
betwixt thieves, to be offered up a sacrificefor sin,and finally
to make intercession for transgressors,that he himself being-
justmight justify
all that believe in his name. Head Esay,
seventh, eighth, ninth, eleventh, twenty-eighth, fortieth,forty-
ninth, fiftieth,
and fifty -third chapters ; and also all
the last
chapters of all his prophecy, wherein he doth most fully
describe the church or congregation of Christ Imraanuel'^.
Jonas bare the most
manifest type of the Lord's sharp death
'5.
and joyful resurrection Micheas also doth name Bethlehem [Mic. v. 2.]
to be the place wherein Messiah should be born, whose begin-
ning,
to wit, of his divine nature,
he doth refer to be before
all beginnings'*'. He doth also foretellthat the preaching of [M'c- 'v. 2.]
the gospel should from out of Hierusalem be sown abroad
P tantum non inspectanda, Lat. ; almost so as to be

seen.]
[" salutarem, Lat.]
[^ per mortem, Lat. ; through a most bitter death.]
[10See The Old Faith, p. 63, "c.]
[11Augustine. See Vol. i. p. 51.]
[12so of Chi-ist,not in Lat.]
"
[13proponit, Lat.]
[I'*Immanuel, an addition of the translator's.]
[15 The epithets are the translator's.]
[16rcfert ad "etcrnitatem, Lat.]
2
r -1
[BULLINGER, III.J
[jer.xxiii. through all the compass of the Avorld. Jeremy saith, that
God would raise up to David a true seed or hranch, that is,
the looked-for Messiah ; and in that prophecy he alluded to
the law concerning the raising up of seed to the deceased
brother. For the virgin, conceiving by the Holy Ghost,
Deusvcrus brought fortli a

Son, whose name is Jehovah, being very
fis^^t^îilu!]
God in very deed, whom Esay calleth Immanuel, and is the
true righteousness of all that do believe in him ; for by Christ
[isai.xxxi. are the faithful justified. For the same prophet^ in the
3:1,34.]
thirty-first chapter doth promise in Christ full or
absolute
the Holy Ghost:
remission of sins and abundant grace of
Joel [ii.28- which thing Joel also did not conceal. Thus out of many
32.]
testimonies I have picked out only these few in number ;
for the whole books of the prophets arc occupied in the
description of Christ and his offices.
The last promises concerning Christ by God revealed
were
to the prophets, and by them declared to the church of God,

even in the very time of the captivity at Babylon, or else
immediately upon their return to Hierusalem^. Ezechicl pro-
phesieth of the shepherd David, and of the sheep receiving
John [X.] that shepherd which prophecies the Lord doth in St John's
:
gospel expound of himself. The same prophet treateth very

much of grace and frank and fullremission of sins through
the Saviour Christ,especiallyin the thirty-fourth,thirty-sixth
and thirty-seventh chapters of his prophecy. Daniel, verily,
hath visions and many dreams ; but in them he doth so set
Christ out unto us, that it is unpossible to have him more
better, more evidently and excellently described. In his
second chapter he teacheth us of his eternal kingdom, and tell-
eth us that Christ should come under the Roman monarchy, at
what time the Eoraan princes,being by affinityalhed together,
should mutually in battle destroy one another : which was
fulfilled
when Pompey and Julius Cajsar, Antony and Octavius
Dan. ix. Augustus, maintained civilwar^. Moreover, Daniel's weeks'*
are
unknown to no man, wherein he doth as it were with his
finger point^ at Christ, the coming^ of Christ, and the reproba-
tion
of the Jews because of their disloyalty and unbelief.
[1 itcruin, Lat. ; again.]

[2 mox post captivitatem, is Bullinger's Lat.]
[3 imperitantibus, Lat.] [" in 9 cap. Lat.]
[5 toti mundo, Lat. ; to all tho [^ tcmpora, Lat.]
world.]
OF THE GOSPEL. 19
I.]
Ilaggee'^theprophet foretoldthe manner how the temple should
bo buildcd, I mean, the true temple indeed ; to wit, the church
of Christ. Zachary doth excellently paint^ to us many mysteries

of Christ : he layeth before us
and priesthood of the kingdom
our Lord and Saviour : he commcndeth to us that one and only
eternal sacrifice,which is effectual enough to cleanse the sins

of all the world : Zach. third, ninth, and fourteenth chapters.
Yea, he prophesieth of nothing else but of Christ and his king-
dom.
Malachias forcsheweth'* the forerunner
of the Lord, and
handleth no small number of mysteries concerning Christ.
Whereby we do perceive that Paul writ most truly in the
firstto the Romans, saying, that God did afore promise the Rom. i,
gospel by his prophets in the holy scriptures.

Now by these holy promises we do G;ather this also,The gospel
"^ *' -"^ is not divers.
,. T / 1 1 1
that there many are
or divers gospels, (althoughwe
not
deny not, but that the same gospeP" was penned by divers
evangelists but that there is one
;) alone, and that too, as it
were, eternal. For the very gospel which is at this
same
day preached to us was at the beginning of the world

preached to our firstparents ^^ For it is assuredly certain,
that by the gospel saved Adam, Evah, Abel, all the
were
patriarchs, prophets, and faithful people of the old Testa-

ment
: which thing we have in another place at large de-
clared
^2,
We are now come to the second part, where we have to God the
^
Father hath
shew you that God the Father hath faithfully performed to 'c'],Hsf''e
us that which he promised to our forefathers in giving to [""^hi^"h
us his only-begotten Son, who is that true and looked-for ['o'ôûTf
^^ ^''"'"''
Messiah, that is to be blessed world without end. In making
this matter manifest the evangelists and apostles of our Lord
have taken great pains, and set it forth so well and faith-
fully
that it cannot be bettered.
They shew of the stock of David,
that Christ doth come
descending Hneally of the seed of Abraham : they tell that
cliap. ii. 7
["^ 9. " Haggteus templum extruit, is Bullinger's
plu-ase.]
[8 tradit, Lat.] [^prBemittit,Lat.]
[10eandem historiam evangelicam, Lat.]
[11Rather, was from the beginning of the world preached to the
fathers.]
[12This is the topic of Bullinger's treatise,The Old Faith. See also
Vol. n.page 283.]
\}^benedictus, Lat. ; who is blessed.]
2"2
20 THE rOURTII DECADE. [sERM-
his mother was the virgin, "^hich did conceive by the Holy
Ghost, and, being a virgin still,brought him into the workU
They note the time -wherein Christ was revealed, in all points
correspondent to the prophets' prophecies. They add, that
the place of his nativity was answerable to that which Mi-
cheas foretold. In the East there appcareth a star, which
moveth the princesôr wise men, to go and salute the new-
born
King. They come therefore, and even in Ilierusalem^
do openly profess that the ]\Iessiah is born, and that they
are come out of the East to worship and honour him. Ac-
cording
to
their words so were their deeds : for when by
the leading of the star they had once found him, they fall
down before him, and do, by offering to Christ the gifts
that they brought, not obscurely declare how joyfulthey
were, and they set by their Lord and Saviour^.
how much
In the very city of Hierusalem* the most justman Simeon
with great joy of heart and godly gratulation doth in the

temple openly testify, that according to his eternal
God
goodness^ and constancy had given to the world his only-

begotten Son, whom he had promised unto the fathers ;
therewithal protesting that he was willing to die^. He addeth
the cause ; " For that," saith he, " mine eyes have seen thy
salvation," to wit, that Schilo, the Saviour'^, whom thou, O
[Luke ii.30- God, hast determined before all people, a light to
to "set
lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of thy people Israel:"
that is, that he, shaking olf all darkness, should bring the
light of truth and life unto the Gentiles, to lighten them
withal ; and that he should be the glory and lifeof the people
of Israel. Hereunto also belongeth the testimony of that
notable man Zachary, holy
priest of God, saying :
the
"
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel ; for he hath visited
and redeemed his people, and hath raised up a horn of sal-
vation
for us in the house of his servant David ; as he spake
by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since
\} magos viros pi'imarios ct sapientissimos, Lat.]

[2 in urbc Ilierosolyraoriun regia, Lat. ; in the I'oyal city.]
[3 quanti Christum faciant, Lat. ; how joyfulthey were, the trans-
lator's
addition. ]
["*urbe regia, Lat.] [5veritate, Lat. ; truth.]
[6 tranquillissimo animo, Lat.; with most peaceful mind.]
[7 fclicitatorcm salvatoremque, Lat.]
OF THE GOSPEL. 21
I,]
the world began :" and so forth, as is to be seen in the
firstof Luke's gospel. Moreover John the son^ of this Za-
chary, surnamed the Baptist, than who we read not that
any one more holy was ever born of women, did with his
finger point at Christ Jesus, and openly declare that he is
that lookcd-for Messiah, whom all the prophets promised ; jesus is
'
and that God, by eivino- him unto the world, hath done that ;" that
looked-for
he promised, and wholly poured himself with all his benefits Messias.
into and upon all faithful behevers. "And as the people
waited"" Luke),"and
(saith thought in their hearts of John, [r-nkeiii.i.-..
whether he were very Christ ; John answered, saying to them

all, Indeed I baptize you with water ; but one stronger than
I Cometh after me, whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to
unloose ; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with
fire." And in the Gospel after St John we read :
"
The [John i. 23-
next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith. Be- hold
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the
world. This is he of whom I said. After me cometh a man

which is preferred before me^ because he was before me;
and I knew him not : but that he should be declared unto

Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water." And
immediately after he saith : I saw
"
the Spirit descending
from heaven like unto a dove, and it abode upon him. And
I knew him not : but he that sent me to baptize with water,
the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit
descending, and tarrying stillon him, the same is he which
baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record
that this is the Son of God." Again, when the disciples of
John did envy the happy success of Christ, and that it
grieved them to see their master John as it were neglected
in comparison of Christ, John said to his disciples: "Ye your- [johniii.en
Christ, but I am
selves are witnesses, that I said,I am not sent
before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom ; but
the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth

him, because of the bridegroom'": therefore this
rejoiceth
my joy is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.
The Father lovetli the Son, and hath given all things into
[8 flliusbeatissimus, Lat. ; tho most blessed

son.]
L^ qui me antecessit, Lat. and Erasmus; qui ante me factus est,
Vulg.]
[10gaudio gaudet propter vocem sponsi, Lat.]
his hand. He that bclieveth in the Son hath lifeeverlasting:

he that bclieveth not in the Son shall not see life,but the
wrath of God abidcth upon
him."
These testimonies are firm, clear,and evident enough, and
But let us yet
niio-htsufficefor the confirmation of this cause.
of a many moe pick out and add a few, which may declare
that Cliristis already exhibited unto us. Therefore our Lord
himself, whom believe to be Messiah, when he had a great
we
while been very greatly commended

by the testimony of John,
doth at length come abroad and preach the word of life.
But it is not read, that in any age, before or since, there was
ever any that taught with so great grace. And therewithal
he shewed almost incredible and wonderful miracles, which do
easilv argue who he was, and were sufficient to

win such
a man with whom words might possibly prevail. He was
no
loving and gentle to sinners, repeating stilland beating into

their heads that he was come to save them, and call them to
repentance. Therefore, when the disciples of John did once
[Matt.xi. 3- come unto him, saying, "Art thou he that should come, or
shall we look for another?" he answered, "Go ye and tell

those things to John which ye see and hear : the blind receive
their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and
the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life,and to the poor is
preached the glad tidings of the gospel." Now by these, his

doctrine I mean, and his works or miracles, his mind was to
shew, that he was exhibited the true Messiah unto the world,
and that noneother is to be looked for. Moreover in the
synagogue at Nazareth, where he read and expounded Esay's
prophecy of the coming of Messiah, he declared there that
that scripture was in himself^ fulfilled. And to the history is
[Lukeiv. iG immediately annexed: "And all bare record unto him, and
wondered at the gracious sayings that proceeded from his
mouth." Again, in the tenth chapter of St John his gospel :
"
The Jews came round about the Lord, and said, How long
dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be Christ, tell us
plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believe

not : the works that I do in my Father's name, these bear
witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of
my
sheep." And presently after he addeth : Ye "
say that I
blaspheme, because I said, I am the Son of God. If I do not
[1 in himself, not in Lat.]

OF THE GOSPEL. 23
I.]
the works of my Father, believe me not :but if I do, and if
yc believe not me, believe my works ; that ye may know and

believe that the Father is in mc, and I in him." In the
seventh of John we read : They that believed in him said,

"
Will Christ, when he cometh, shew more signs than this man
hath shewed?" that is to say : Admit we grant that there is
another Christ to be looked for; yet this is most sure, that the
other Messiah cannot do more and greater miracles than this
man doth. Let us therefore believe that this is the true
Messiah. Before Caiaphas, the high
priest, and the whole
council of the peers of Israel, also before Pontius Pilate in the
judgment-hall of the Roman empire, our Lord Christ did
openly in express words confess that he is that true and looked-

for Messiah.
verily, as the prophets foretold of him, did of his

He
own accord die for sinners ; the third day after that he rose
again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on
the right hand of God the Father. And the evangelists,
reciting faithfully the words and deeds of Christ, do to the

most notable ones always add :
"
All this was done or said,
that it might be fulfilled
which spoken by the prophet."
was
Wherefore it were not the labour here to gather

worth
together the prophecies of the prophets, by them to examine
the words and deeds of Christ, and by the manifest agreement
betwixt them for to conclude, That God hath performed to
us that which he promised unto our fathers in giving to us his
only-begotten Son Christ Jesus, which is the true and looked-

for Messiah. For this have the evangelists already done,
and that too with so great faith and diligence, that for the
To this place
plainness of the thing it cannot be bettered.
now
ye may refer all that I have in my former sermons said
or mysteries, fulfilling
touching the signification, and abrogating,
of the law.
And, to content ourselves with a smaller number of testi-
monies,
might not this one, which is read in the fourth of St

John, be instead of many thousand confirmations? The
woman of Samaria saith to the Lord : "I know that the
Messiah shall come, which is called Christ : therefore when
he cometh, he shall tell us all things. Jesus answered her,
I am he that speak to thee." Lo, what could be had- more
[2 said, edd. 1577 and 158". dici, Lat.]

"I," saith he, "am the Messiah; oven I, I say,

plainly?
first say,
that do even now speak to thee, and did at the
If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith
to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of
him, and he would have given thee water of life. For
"whosoever shall drink of tlic water that I shall give liim,

he shall never be more athirst : but the water that I shall
into
give him shall be in him a well of water springing up
eternal life." They therefore are the most thirsty and un-
fortunat
of all men, which long for and look after another
Messiah beside our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus. The
apostle St Peter in meetly long oration, well grounded and

a
in the second of
confirmed with scripture and strong reasons,
the Acts, doth shew that our Lord Jesus is that true Messiah :
for with this sentence he shuttcth up his sermon : Therefore "
let all the house of Israel surely know, that God hath made
both Lord and Christ this Jesus, whom ye have crucified."
To the same mark tendeth that large and learned oration of
the firstmartyr St Stephen, which is extant to be seen in the
2.
seventh chapter of the Acts Philip doth out of Esay's
prophecy declare to the eunuch of JEthiope that Jesus is

Christ. St Paul in all the Jewish synagogues putteth forth
none other proposition to preach on but this ; Jesus is Christ,
that is,Jesus is the king, the bishop, and the Saviour of the
faithful. And in the thirteenth chapter he doth at large
declare and prove that proposition true.
So now these most evident and clear testimonies of holy
scripture cannot choose but suffice such heads as are not of

The Jews purposo Set to cavil and wrangle. I will not at this present
deny that , m i "
t t "
i i t
christis too busily and
"'
curiously./ dispute
r against
o
the overthwart Jews, '
come, or
-wdio look for auothcr Messiah, and do deny that our Lord
that Jesus
'
IS Christ. "^
_
Jesus, the Son of God and the virgin Marv, is the true
Messiah. wretches feel that to be true, which the Lord
The
[Matt xxiv. in his gospel did foretell them, sayingO : " When ye shall see '
15, 16, 19, 21.] J t'
. . , _ ^
the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the pro-

phet,
standing in the holy place, let him that readeth under-
stand.
Then let them that are in Jurie flee to the mountains.
But woe to them that are with child and give suck in those
days ; for great shall the afilictionbe." And again, speaking
[Lukpxix. of the city of Ilierusalem, he saith: "The davs shall come
'
*'
43,44.]
[1 aridissimi,Lat.] [2 in 8 cap. Lat.]
OF THE GOSl'EL. 25
I.]
upon thco, that thine enemies shall compass thee with a
trench, and hem thee in, and lay seige to thee on every side,
and shall make thee even with the ground, and thy sons that
are
vîthin thee ; and they shall not leave in thee one stone
standing upon another ; because thou knowest not the time of

thy visitation." And again ; There shall be wrath upon this [i.uke xxi.
"
people ; and they shall fall with the edge of the sword, and
shall be led captive into all nations ; and Hierusalem shall bo
trod under foot of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles
be fulfilled."Now since they feel these things to be so finished^
as they were by Christ foretold in the gospel ; why do not
the wretches give God the glory, and in other things believe
the gospel, acknowledging Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the
virgin Mary, our Lord and Saviour, to be* the true and looked-
for Messiah ? What have they wherewith to cloak their stub-
born
incredulity They
? have now by the space of more than
a thousand and fivehundred years been without their^ country;
I mean, the land of promise that flowed with milk and honey ;
they have wanted their prophets ; and lacked their solemn
service and ceremonial rites. For where is their temple ?
where is the high priest ? where is the altar ? where are the
holy instruments ? where be the sacrificesthat ought to bo
offered according to the law ? All the glory of God's people is

now translated unto the Christians. They joy to be called the
sons
of the faithful Abraham ; they
enjoythe promises made
unto the fathers ; they talk and make mention of the fathers;
they judge rightly of the law and covenant of the Lord ;
they have the holy scriptures, and in expounding them they
have great dexterity ; they have the true temple, the true
high priest,the true altar of incense and burnt-offerings, even
Christ Jesus, the Lord Saviour ; they have the true
and
worship, which was of old prefigured only in those external
ceremonies : as I have already declared unto you in that
place where I handled the Jewish ceremonies. The Gentiles

are quarter of the world called unto Christ Jesu.
out of every
All the promises touching the calling of the Gentiles have
been hitherto most abundantly fulfilled,and are even at this
day. Now flock'',
are we the chosen according to the doctrine
[3 ad verbura, Lat. ; to the letter.1

r* venisse, Lat. ; to have
come.]
[5 the, ed. 1577. patria sua, Lat.] [C genus, Lat.;
nation.]
of St Peter the royal priesthood, an holy nation, a

We
"
[1 ret. ii.9.] : are
peculiar people ; being called hereunto, that we should preach

the power of him^ which hath called us out of darkness into
his marvellous light." Therefore let the unhappy Jews (unless
perhaps they had rather to be entangled in greater errors,
to be vexed daily with
endless calamities,and so at last perish
eternally2)turn unto Christ by faith, and together with us
begin to worship him in whom their fathers hoped, and in
whom alone is life and salvation. For, that I may with the
[iTim. iii. apostle's words conclude this place: "God is made manifest
33.'i "in the flesh,justified in the spirit,seen to the angels, preached
to the Gentiles, believed in the world, and received in glory ^
And every one that believeth in him shall live eternally, and
never be confounded."
God the Fa- AVe havo now behind the last part to expound ; the '
con-
x i
tlier being
angry with tcnts
whoreof are, '
that God the Father, who before '
was
the world,
^"s^y 'with,the world, is pleased now in his only-begotten Son

wit'ifufn
the Son.
Jesus Christ our Lord.
First of all therefore I have to shew you that God was
angry with the world : which is no hard matter to prove.

For is angry at sins. But the whole world is
God to
subject
sin ; therefore it must of necessity be, that the most justGod
i. 18.]is
[Rom.
mightily angry with all the world. And Paul saith : "The
wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all uno-odliness
and unrighteousness of Again, the same
men." apostle saith,
that "all men are unto sin." For confirmation where-
subject of
he citeth these sentences of the holy scriptures, saying :
"
There is none righteous, no, not one : there is none that un-
derstandeth, or seeketh after God : they are all gone out of
the way : they all become unprofitable : there is none
are that
doth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre;
they have used their tongues for to deceive ; the poison of
asps is under their lips : whose mouth is full of cursing and

bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood. Heart's grief
andmisery are in their ways : and the way of peace have
they not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes."
[1 lit prcedicemus vires illius,Lat.]

[2 juxta Christi Domini comminationem, Lat. omitted; according
to the threatenings of Christ the Lord.]
[^ in gloria, Lat. ; received up in glory. Tyndalo 1525, and Cran-
mer
1639.]
Now lest the Israelites should answer, that these things do

not pertain to the people of God, but to the heathen and un-godly
alone, he addeth ; "We know that whatsoever the law [H"m. ni. a
saith,it saith it to them which are under the law ; that every
mouth be stopped, and that all the world may be endan-
may gered^
to God." 'No man is here excepted. For to the Gala-
tians the same apostle saith : "He hath shut up all under sin,[cai.iii.22.]
that he may have mercy all." It foUoweth therefore, that
on
all the world was to the wrath or indignation of the

subject
most justand
righteous God; as is at large proved in the
second, fourth, and fifthchapters to the Ephesians.
But the heavenly Father is appeased, or reconciled to
this wicked world, through the only-begotten Son our Lord
Jesus Christ. And this I hope I shall abundantly prove by
the only testimony of God himself. For the Father, by
sending down a voice from heaven unto the earth upon Christ,
firstascending newly out of the water after his baptism,
and
then again at his transfiguration in the sight of his disciples,
did significantlysay: "This is my beloved Son, in I [Matt-sii.17;
whom
am delighted, pleased, or reconciled^; hear him." This tes-
timony
is read to have been foreshewed in the forty-second
chapter of Esay's prophecy. And Peter the apostle repeat-

eth the same in the first chapter of his second
epistle. Paul
did as it were expound this,and say :
"
It
also pleased the rcoi. i. 19,
Father that in the Son should dwell all fulness;

and by
him to reconcile all things unto himself, since he hath set
at
peace through the blood of the cross by him both the things
in earth and the things in heaven." In heaven is God, and
we men here upon earth. Now Christ is the Mediator, which
goeth betwixt us, and reconcileth us unto his Father, so that
now we are the beloved of the Father in his beloved Son.
For in the epistle to the Ephesians the same
apostle saith :
"
He hath made us accepted in the beloved ; in whom we have
[Eph.i. c,
'"'
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,accord-
ing to the riches of his grace." All this shall be more fully
understood by that which foiloweth.
For now I must prove that God the Father hath in his ah things
Son given us all things that are necessary to a happy lifeand ufean/sa?-
eternal salvation. I name here two things a hanr) v life given
O
;
r 1
"/
fî'V
'
us in Christ
_
Jesus.
I* See Tyndale's Doct. Treat, ed. Parker Soc. p. 502, n.
1.]
["'"
placata, reconciliata vol propitiata est anima mea, Lat.]
28 THE roUllTH DECADE. [sERM.
and everlasting salvation. By a happy lifeI understand a

holy and godly life,which we live and lead quietly and
honestly in this present world. Eternal salvation is that
felicity of the hfe to come, "which we with assured hope do
verily look for.
Now we have in Christ a most absolute doctrine of a
happy life taughtby the gospel ;
us wherein also we do com-
prehend
the example of Christ, his own trade of life. Verily,
our heavenly Father hath made him our teacher, in saying,
"Hear him." And he himself in the gospel after St Matthew
[Malt.xxiii. sayeth : "Be ye not called masters; for ye have one master,
'
12.]" even Christ;" who in the gospel after St John is called

"The hght of the world.^' In another place also he testifieth
that his doctrine is contained in the holy scriptures ; where-
upon
that he referreth his disciples to the dihgent
it Cometh
reading of the holy scriptures : touching which scriptures

Paul, the teacher of the Gentiles and^ the universal church of
[2 Tim. iii. Christ, doth say : "All scripture is given by inspirationôf God,
and is profitable to doctrine, to reproof, to correction, to in-

structi
which is in righteousness ; that the man of God may

be perfect, instructed in all good works." Wherefore,
although the whole world be mad, and that the obstinate

defenders of the traditions^ rather than the scriptures do
whet their teeth for anger ; yet, maugre their heads, the word
of the apostle shall abide most firm^ wherein he testifieththat
the doctrine of the scriptures, otherwise called the christian
doctrine,is in all points most absolute and thoroughly perfect.
Touching which matter, because I have already spoken in the
firstsermons of the firstDecade, I am therefore here a
great
deal the briefer.
Now concerning the eternal salvation fully purchased^ for
us by Christ, thus ye must think. Eternal salvation is the see-
ing
and of the eternal God, and so, consequently, an
enjoying
unseparable joining or knitting unto him. For David saith,
[Psai.xvi. "There is fulness of joysin thy sight ; and at thy right hand
[1 John iii. are pleasures for evermore:" and St John saith, "Now are
^"]
[} adeoque, Lat. ; and so.]
[2 Omnis scriptura, divinitus inspirata, est utilis, "c. Lat. So
Tyiidalc and Crannier.]
[3 traditioniim vivavum, Lat. ; of tlio lively ti'aditions.]
[1 Stat stabitquc, Lat. ; abides and shall abide.]
[5 pavatam sivc partam, Lat.]
OF THE GOSPEL. 29
I.]
WO the sons
of God, and yet it appeareth not what wc shall
be ; but we know that, wlien he shall appear, wc shall be like
him ; for we shall sec him as he is." Moreover the Lord in
the gospel saith, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they [Matt. v. a]
shall see God." But all men arc endued with unpurc hearts:
therefore no
shall see
man noGod ; because
unclcanness
abideth in consuming fire; (and God is a
consuming fire^;)
therefore we cannot be partakers of salvation unless wc be
purely cleansed. But without the shedding of blood there is
no
cleansing remission of sins : I do not mean
or the blood of
rams or
goats, but of the only-begotten Son of God, our Lord
Christ Jesus. Ile^ therefore took our flesh and blood ; he camo
into the world, died willingly for us, and shed his blood for
the remission of our sins ; and so by that means purged the
faithful,so that now, being clean, they may be able to stand
before^ the most holy God, who is a consuming fire. To this
may be annexed the consideration of the incarnation of our

Lord Jesu Christ, his death, resurrection, and ascension into
heaven, whereof I did above make mention in the definitionof
the gospel ; for in those points doth consist the whole mys-
tery
of our reconciliation: touching which I do in this
place speak so much the more briefly,because in the exposition
of the apostles' creed I have handled so much as seemeth to

concern these points of doctrine ; which whosoever will know,
may look and find them there.
Nowthat Christ alone is our most absolute life and sal-chnstaione
vation, it may be gathered by that which is already spoken ;
anTsaiva-
and yet notwithstanding I will here allege some testimonies
more, to the end that the verity and sincerity of the evan-
gelical
truth may be the more firm and evident to all men.
That in Christ alone our life and salvation doth consist, so
that without Christ there is no lifeand salvation in any other
creature, the Lord himself doth
testify^ saying: Verily, [John "
x. i,
verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into
the sheepfold, but goeth in some other way, he is a thief and
a robber. Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of
the sheep : as many as came before me are thieves and rob-
bers."
Lo here, there is but one door only, through which
[6 The translator's addition.]

[7 Dei filius,Lat. ; the Son of God.]
[s habitare cum, Lat.] [^ in evangelic, Lat. ; in the
gospel.]
the way doth ho unto eternal hfe : and Christ is that door.
They therefore, which do by other means than through Christ
strive to come to hfe and salvation, are thieves and robbers ;

for they steal from Christ his honour and glory, considering
that he both is and abideth the only Saviour: and in so doing
they kill their own souls. The same Saviour in the gospel
: "I
[johnxiv.G.]saith am way, the truth, and
the the life. Ko man
to the Father but by me." Hath he not in these few

Cometh
words and
rejected utterly excluded all other means of salva-
tion,
making himself alone our lifeand salvation ? ^This phrase
of speech, "No man cometh to the Father but by me," is the
same that this is, "Through Christ alone we come unto the
Father." Moreoverthe Lord's apostles have so laid Christ
alone before our eyes, that no man can choose but understand,
that without Christ Jesus there is no lifeto be found in any
other creature. The holy apostle St Peter in the Acts saith:
[Actsiv. 12.]"There is in other any salvation : for there is none
none other
name under heaven given among men wherein we must be
saved." And St Paul, in the fifth chapter to the Ptomans, doth

oftentimes repeat, that "by the righteousness of one man,
Jesus Christ, all the faithfulare justified."Again, the same

[Aetsxui. 38, Paul saith: "Through him is preached to you the remission
of sins; and through him is every one that believeth justified

from all the things, from which ye could not be justified by
Moses' law." Like to this also he hath other testimonies in
the second chapter of his epistle written to the Galatians. It
is manifest therefore, that throuo-h Christ alone the forgive-
ness of sms and lifeeverlasting are freely bestowed upon all
the faithful; which gifts,as they are not without Christ at all,
so they not bestowed by any other means
are than through
Christ alone. Concerning the remission of sins, which is the
chief tidings of the gospel, I have at large already discoursed
in the ninth sermon of the first Decade and other places
more.
^^^ ^^^^ proof that our Lord doth fully absolve from
fu'ii''Vwk* "^^^ 2,
our
salvation, fully
sins, Tomit sins, and fully save repentant sinners so
that nothing more can be desired or wished for, and con-sequentl

that the Lord himself is the most absolute fulness
of all the faithful, without whom they that believe neither
[1 Certe, Lat. ; Without doubt.]

[2 repentant sinners, not in Lat.]
OF THE GOSPEL. 31
I.]
do nor can wish for anything else to life,salvation, and ab-
solute
felicity,he doth himself in the gospel say^ : " Every rj"hniv. is,
"" ^'''
one that drinketh
of this water shall thirst again ; but who-
"*'
soever shall drink of the water which I shall give him, he

shall live eternally." And again : I am the bread of life;
"
he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth

in me shall never thirst." The apostles therefore, after
they had this celestialbread, that is, after they had
eaten
once believed in Christ "*, when many departed and did for-
sake
Christ, being demanded whether they also would leave
him, did answer, "
Lord, to whom shall we go ? Thou hast [Johnvi. cs,
the words of eternal life. And we believe and know that
thou art Christ, the Son of the living God." Lo here, they
neither will nor can forsake Christ ; because there is none
other to whom they may jointhemselves : for he alone is

the lifeand salvation of them that believe ; and that too, so
absolute and perfect,that in him alone they may content and
stay themselves. With the writfngsof the evangelists doth
the doctrine of the apostles fully agree. For Paul to the
Colossians saith : " It pleased the Father that in the Son coioss. [i.lo;
"' '
should dwell all fulness." And ^gain : In the Son doth

"
dwell all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; and ye are
fulfilledin him." And in the Epistle to the Hebrews herneb.x.2;

affirmeth, that the faithfulhave fullremission of sins, because
sacrificesfor sin do cease to be offered ; and that God doth
by the prophet Jeremy promise so absolute remission of sins,
that he will not so much as once remember or think on them
hereafter ^ To this place belongeth the whole epistle written
to the Hebrews ; and the conclusion of the eighth sermon
in the first Decade, wherein I reckoned unto you the trea-sures
that God the Father doth give to us in Christ his Son
our Lord
and Saviour.
Upon this now doth follow consequently, that they have Theunsin-
"
cere preach*
not yet rightly understood the gospel of Christ, nor sincerely
sngofthe
preached it,whosoever do attribute to Christ Jesu our Lord,
P rursus, Lat. ;
again.]
[^ Dei filium, Lat. omitted; tlie Son of God.]
[5 Proinde quicunque Christum fide possident, plenissime omnia
vitse et salutis possident, Lat. omitted ; And therefore, whosoever has
Christ by faith, has most abundantly all things belonging to life and
salvation.]
THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
the true ]\Iessiah,either not only, or else not fully,all things

mous
blasphe-
requisite to lifeand salvation. It is a wicked and
thing to ascribe either to men, or to things inferior
and worse than men, the glory and honour due unto Christ.
The principal exercises of christian religion cannot, by dero-
gating
from the glory of ChristS challenge anything^ unto
themselves. For sincere doctrine doth directly lead us unto
Christ. Prayer doth invocate, praise, and give thanks in
the name of Christ. The sacraments do serve to seal and
represent to us the mysteries of Christ. And the works of

faith are done of duty, although also of free accord ; be-
cause
we are created unto good works. Yea, through
Christ alone they do please and acceptable to God the
are
Father; for he is the vine, we are the branches. So all
glory is reserved untouched to Christ alone : which is the
surest note to know the true gospel by.

The sum of Thus hitherto we have heard that God, the of Father
the gospel.
his free
mercies, according to mercy taking pity upon kind
man-
when it stuck fast and was drowned in the mire of hell,

did, as he promised by the prophets, send his only-begotten
Son into the world, that he might draw us out of the mud,
and fully give us all things requisite to life and salvation.
For God the Father was in Christ reconciled unto us, who
for and our
us salvation was incarnate, dead, raised from
death to life,and taken up into heaven again.
And although it may by all this be indifferentlywell
gathered, to whom that salvation doth belong, and to whom

Salvation that grace is rightly preached ; yet the matter itselfdoth
preached in
the gospel seem to require in flat words expressly to shew, that Christ
doth belong
declared-^ in the gospel
and the preaching of Christ his grace
to all.
doth belong unto all. For we must not imagine that in hea-ven
there are laid two books, in the one whereof the names
of them written that are to be saved, and so to be saved,

are
as it were of necessity, that, do what they will against the

word of Christ and commit they never so heinous offences,
they cannot possibly choose but be saved ; and that in the
other are contained the names of them which, do what
they can and live they never so holily, yet cannot avoid
[1 by derogating" Christ, not in Lat.]
[2 hujus,Lat. omitted ; of this (glory).]

[3 aUatam vcl annunciatam, Lat.]
everlasting damnation. Let us rather hold, that the holy
gospel of Christ doth generally preach to the whole world

the grace of God, the remission of sins,and life everlasting.
And in this belief we must confirm our minds with the word
of God, by gathering together some evident places of the
holy scriptures,which do manifestly prove that it is even so.
Of which sort are these sayings following : "

In thy Seed
shall all the nations of the earth be blessed," Genesis xxii.
"Every one that calleth upon the name of the Lord shall
be saved," Joel ii. We have all gone astray like sheep ;
"
and God hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all," Esay
liii. "
Come tothe waters, all ye that thirst," Esay Iv.
There are of this sort innumerable places in the old Testa-
ment.
Now in the gospel the Lord saith : "
Every one
that asketh receiveth ; and he that seeketh findeth," "c.

Matt. vii. " Come to me, all ye that labour and are heavy
loaden, and I will ease you of your burden," Matt. xi.
"
Teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father," "c. Matt, xxviii. " Go ye into the whole world,
and preach the gospel unto all creatures : whosoever be-

lieveth and is baptized, he shall be saved," Mark xvi. So "
God loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son,

that every one which believeth in him should not perish,
but have eternal life." John iii. In the Acts of the Apostles
St Peter saith "
''
Of a truth I perceive that there is no
respect of persons with God ; but in every nation he that
feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable unto
him," Acts x. Paul in the third to the Romans saith :
"
The righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ cometh
unto alland upon all them that believe." And in the tenth
chapter he saith : The same Lord over all is rich to allthem
"
that call upon him." In his Epistle to Titus he saith: There "
hath appeared the grace of God that is healthful to all men*."

And in the first to Timothy, the second chapter, he saith :
"
God will have all men to be saved, and to come to the know-
ledge
of the truth." These and such like are the manifest tes-
timonies,
whereupon all the faithful do firmly stay themselves.
But now if thou demandest, how it happeneth that all wherefore
men are not saved, since the Lord would that all should be not saved.
saved and come to the knowledge of the truth ; the Lord

[^ chap. ii. n,
marg.]
[bullixger,III.J
[Matlh. XX. in the gospel doth himself answer thee, saying :

"
]\Iany
I6.J
indeed arc called, but few are chosen." Which sentence
he in the fourteenth of St Luke's gospel more
doth plainly
expound, where he doth in a parable shew the causes why
a great part of mortal men doth not obtain eternal salvation,
while they prefer earthly things and transitory before ce-

lestial
or heavenly matters. For every one had a several
excuse to cloke his disobedience withal : one had bought a
farm ; another had five yokes of oxen to try ; the third
had newly married a
wife. And in the gospel after St John
IJohn iii. the Lord saith :
"
This is condemnation, because the light
19.]
IS
came into the world,
and men loved darkness more than
the light." AYith this doctrine of the evangelists doth that
saying of the apostle agree, 2 Cor. iv. And in the first
to Timothy, the fourth chapter, he saith : " God is the Sa-
viour
especially of those that believe." "Where-

upon
The faithful
are saved.
of all men,
we gather, that God, in the preaching of the gospel,
requireth faith in every one of us : and by faith it is manifest
that we are made partakers of all the goodness and gifts of
Christ. And verily there is a relation^ betwixt faith and
[Mark xvi. the gospel ; for in the gospel after St Mark the Lord an-
nexed
ie.]
faith to the preaching of the gospel. And Paul
"
[Rom. i. saith, that to him was committed the preaching of the
5,IG.]
gospel, unto the obedience of faith." Again he saith : The
"
gospel is the power of God unto salvation to all them that

do believe." And in the tenth chapter to the Romans he
doth by gradation shew that the gospel is received by faith.
But that faith may be rightly planted in the hearts of men,
it is needful that the preaching of repentance do first go
before : for which cause I, in the latter end of the definition
of the gospel, added,

"
we, So that
acknowledging our sins,
may believe in Christ:" that is to say, the Lord will be our
Saviour and give us life everlasting,if we acknowledge our
sins,and do believe in him. And therefore here now may

be annexed the treatises of faith and repentance. Touching
faith, I have already largely spoken in the fourth, fifth,and
sixth sermons of the first Decade. Concerning repentance
I will hereafter speak in a several sermon by itself. In this
place I will only touch summarily such points of repentance"
as seem to make for the demonstration of the gospel.
[1 correlatio, Lat.] [^ of repentance, not in Lat.]
Our Lord Christ Jesus doth in the preaching of the The Rospei
gospel require faith and repentance : neither did he himself, amuepent-

Tvhen he preached the gospel, proceed any other way. For
Mark hath : "
Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel TMark i. 14,
of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled,

and the kingdom of God is at hand ; repent, and believe the
gospel." Neither did he otherwise instruct his disciples,
when he sent them to preach the gospel unto all nations ;
for St Luke saith :
"
Christ said to his disciples.So it is ^^^"4*^7^
written, and so it behoved Christ to suffer,and to rise again

the third day from dead ; and that in his name
the should
be preached repentance and the forgiveness of sins unto all
nations." St Paul, like a good scholar following his master,
in the Acts of the Apostles saith: "Ye know that I have [acu xx.
20 21.]
held back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have
shewed you, and have taught you openly and throughout
every house, witnessing both to the Jews, and also to the
Greeks, the repentance that is toward God, and the faith
that is toward our Lord Jesus Christ." În his Epistle to
the Romans, where he doth compendiously* handle the gos-
pel,
he taketh occasion to begin the preaching thereof at
sin, convincing both Jews and Gentiles to be unto.
there-
subject
Now he beginneth at sin to this end and purpose,
that every one, descending into himself, may see and ac-
knowledge
that in himself he hath
righteousness, but no
that by nature^ he is the son of wrath, death, and damnation ;

not that such acknowledging of sins doth of itself make us
acceptable unto God, or else deserve remission of sins and

lifeeverlasting ; but that after a sort^ it doth prepare a way
in the minds of men to receive faith in Christ Jesus, and so
by that means to embrace Christ Jesus himself, who is our
"
only and absolute righteousness ; for the whole need not
the physician, but such as are sick and diseased." They
therefore, which think themselves to be clear without sins
and righteous of themselves, do utterly Christ, and

reject
make his death of none effect^: but on the other side, they
that feel the diseases of the mind, and do from the bottom
[3 Certe, Lat. ; Without doubt.] ["*

methodice, Lat.]
[5 sua natura, Lat.; by his own
nature.]
[6 suo mode, Lat.]
[' and make "
effect; an addition of the translator's.]

3"2
36 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sEUM.
of their hearts confess that they are sinners and unrighteous,

not putting any trust in their own strength and merits, do
How Christ even pant
i
for the haste that they
make to Christ; -which
IS received. "/
when they do, then Christ doth offer himself in the gospel,
promising unto them remission of sins and life everlasting,
as he that came to heal the sick and to save repentant
sinners. But the promise is received by faith, and not by
works : therefore the gospel, and Christ in the gospel, are
received by faith. For we must diligently distinguish be-
twixt
the precepts and the promises. The promises are re-
ceived
by faith : the precepts are accomplished by works.
[Gal. iii.lii.]
Whereupon Paul is read to have said : " If the inheritance
be of the law, then is it not now of promise : but God gave
Abraham the inheritance by promise." The same apostle
to the Ilomans, conferring the law and the gospel together,
[Rom. X.5- doth say: "
The righteousness which is of the law doth say,
Whosoever doth these things shall live by them ; but the
righteousness of faith doth say. If thou believest, thou shalt

be saved." The law therefore is grounded upon works,
whereunto it seemeth righteousness : but because
to attribute
no man doth in works fulfil the law, therefore is no man
justified by works, or by the law. The gospel is not
grounded
upon works : for sinners acknowledge nothing in themselves
but sin and wickedness ; for they feel in themselves that
they wholly corrupted : and therefore they fly to the
are
mercy of God, in whose promises they put their trust, hopino"

verily that they shall freely obtain remission of their sins,
and that for Christ his sake they are received into the number
of the sons of God.
I would in this place concerning faith in
speak more
.Jesus
Christ, the remission of sins, and the inheritance
of hfe ever-
lasting,
if I had not already in the first Decade declared
them at lai'ge. Here by
the way ye have to remember,
that the gospel is not sincerely preached, when ye are taught
that we are made partakers of the life of Christ for our
own deserts and meritorious works. For we are freely
saved', without respect of any works of ours, either first or
last2.
And although I have oftener than once handled this
[1 per fulem, Lat. omitted; through faith.]
[2 operum nostrorum, sive pr.Tcedontium, sive spquentium, Lat.]
argument in these sermonsof mine; yet because it is thechmtis

hook wliereupon the hinge of the cvangehcal doctrine (whicli
fami'.ân.i'^
"" '^ ^"' ''
is tlie door to Christ^)doth hang ; and that this doctrine
(to wit, that Christ is received by faith,and not by
works)
is of many men very greatly resisted; I will, for the ration
decla-
and confirmation sake thereof, produce here two places
only, but such as be apparent enough and evident to prove
and confirm it by : the one out of the gospel of Christ our
Lord, the other out of Paul's Epistles.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, being about to teach briefly the how Christ
way to true salvation, that glad tidings

is, to preach the "^^ gospei.
of life unto Nicodemus, in the gospel after St John, doth

firstof all begin at repentance, and doth wholly take Nico-
demus from himself, leaving him no merits of his own
wherein to put his trust. For while he doth utterly con-
demn
the firstbirth of man, as that which is nothing avail-
able
to obtain eternal life,what doth he, I beseech you, leave
to ISicodemus, wherein he may brag or make his boast ? For
he doth expressly say : " Verily, verily, I say unto thee, or regenera-
Unless a man be born from above"*, he cannot see the king-
la^gciyT
dom of God." If the firstbirth and the gifts^thereof were the sermon of
t 1 '
1 \. r^ I
repentance.
able to promote a man to the kingdom of God, what need
then should he have to be born the second time ? The second
birth is wrought by the means of the Holy Ghost, which,
being from heaven poured into our hearts, doth bring us to
the knowledge of ourselves, so may that
easily perceive, we
assuredly know, and sensibly feel, that in our flesh there is

no life,no integrity, or righteousness at all ; and so conse-
quently,
that no man is saved by his own strength or merits.
AVhat then ? The Spirit forsooth doth inwardly teach^ us
that which the sound of the gospel doth outwardly tell us,
that we are saved by the merit of the Son of God'^.
For the Lord in the gospel saith : No man ascendeth into
"
heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man [Johniu.
'
i3;
XIV. h; Hi.
that is in heaven." For in another place he doth more

i'*-'^-^
plainly say : Xo man"

cometh to the Father but by me."
And again, to Nicodemus he saith : "As Moses did lift up

the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be
[3 which " to Christ, not in Lat.]
["*So iSIarg. Auth. Ver. John iii.3.] p facultates, Lat.]

[6 pergit et docet, Lat.] [' fide,Lat. omitted ; by faith.]
liftup ; that every one which beheveth in him

should not
perish, but have eternal life." Now Moses did hang up the
brascn serpent for the health and recovery of them that
"were poisoned^ by the bitings of the serpents. For they
2,
died presently that were stung with the serpents unless
they did immediately look up to the brasen serpent ; for at
the very sight thereof the poisoned sting did lose all force,
and the person envenomed was out of hand restored and
cured again. Neither was there in the host of the Israelites
any other medicine but that alone, which whosoever despised
he died without remedy. For the force of the poison was
not expelled, and the life of the infected was not preserved,
either by the power of prayers, or the multitude of sacri-

fices,
or any kind of physic, or other
medicinable herbs, or
means of man's if any would escape the peril

invention^:
of death, it behoved him to behold the brasen serpent aloft.

Now that brasen serpent was a type or figure of Christ our
Lord ; who, being liftup upon the cross, is ordained of God
to be the only salvation. But now doth that saving
to whom
health befall? To them, forsooth, that do behold him being
so liftup. The Lord himself telleth us what " to behold"
doth signify, and instead thereof doth put " to believe."
Therefore no works, none other means, nor merits of ours
do save us from eternal death and from the force of sin,
that is, the poison wherewith we are all infected by the old
serpent, our adversary Satan. Faith alone, whereby we be-
lieve
in Christ, who was liftup for the remission of our sins,
and in whom alone our life and sure salvation doth assuredly
consist, is the only thing that quickeneth us
which arc
already dying by the envenomed sting of Satan, which is sin^.

Hear, moreover, what the Lord doth add, instructing
Nicodemus yet more fully in the true faith, and making the
only cause of our salvation to be the mere and only grace
of God, which is received by faith in Christ. "
For so"
(saithhe) God loved the world, that he gave his only-

"
begotten Son, that every one which bclieveth in him should

not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent not his Son*
[1 morientum e veneno, Lat. ; that were dying of the poison]

[2 dipsades, Lat.] [3 See The Old Faith, p. 44.]
[* which are sin ; an

"
addition of the translator's.]

{5 in mundum, Lat. ; into the
world.]
OF THE GOSPEL. 39
I.]
to condemn the Tvorld ; but that the world might be saved

by him. He that behcveth in him is not condemned : but
he that believeth not in him is already condemned, because
he believeth not in the name of the only-begotten Son of
God." Lo, what could be spoken more plainly ? By faith
we are
made partakers of Christ. By repeating faith so
often his meaning was so to beat it into our heads, that no
man should hereafter do once so much as doubt of so manifest
and evident a piece of doctrine. But if here now thou dost

littleset by authority of Christ, then whose authority
the
wilt thou esteem ? But thou wilt not, I know, his
reject
testimony. Yet albeit that his warrant is sufficient,give ear
notwithstanding to that disciple whom the Lord loved, who

in his epistle expounding as it were the words of the Lord,
and by the way of exposition repeating and beating them

into all men's minds, doth strongly cry out: "If we receive uohnv.
the witness of men, the witness of God is greater : for this
is the witness of God which he testifiedof his Son. He that
believeth in the Son hath the testimony in himself: he that
believeth not God doth make him a liar, because he believed
not the record that he*' gave of his Son. And this is the
record, that God hath given us eternal life,and this life is

in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that
hath not the Son of God hath not life." But what else is
it to have the Son of God than to believe in him? For
this sense is gathered by that which went before, being of
itself so evident, that for me to add anything unto it, is to
do nothing else but as it were to go about with a tallow-
candle to help or adlight the sun at his rising.

Jv'ow are we come to the place of St Paul, which is to be how Paui
""" did preach
_ ^
seen in the third aud fourth chapters of his epistle to the 'he gospei.
"
The righteousness of God," saith he,
"
Romans. without
the law is made manifest, being witnessed by the testimony
of the law and the in this place doth
prophets." Paul
preach the gospel most evidently ; for I know not any other
place wherein he doth it more plainly. He teacheth herein
how we are God, what is the true ness
before
justified righteous-
and salvation of mankind, and bv what means it cometh
unto us. He saith, that the righteousness of God, that is to

doth
say, the righteousness which God bestoweth, or which
["5Deus, Lat. ; God.]
40 THE FOURTH DECADE. [tiEKM.
prevail^ before God, is revealed without the law; that is to

say, doth come unto us without the help of the law, to wit,
without the aid and merits of the works of the law. For
touching the testimony of the law and the prophets, they
wdtness both together, that they which believe are justified
by
the righteousness of God. Now what that righteousness is,
he doth immediately declare, saying : "
The righteousness of
God cometh by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all
them that believe." The righteousness, saith he, whereof we
speak ^ is not human or
of mortal man, but altogether divine,
or of God himself. For as God alone is only just,so the
righteousness of God is the true and only righteousness of
God^ that saveth us : which righteousness God maketh us to
be partakers of by that faith of Jesus Christ, to
wit, if we
beheve in Christ, and hope in him for to be saved*. Neither
is there here any man excluded from righteousness and salva-
tion
; for Paul doth
plainly say, Unto all and upon all "
that do believe." Wherefore God doth repute and esteem all

them to be righteous, which do believe in Jesus Christ, his
only Son, our Lord

and Saviour. Now he doth presently
annex the cause why he attributeth salvation unto the right-
eousness
of God, and not of man, or
why the gospel com-
to us the righteousness
of God, saying : For there "
mendeth
is difference ;
all have have
no
sinned and need of the
glory of God." For because all men of their own nature are
destitute of the glory of God, that is,
since they are without
the true image of God, to the likeness whereof they were
created in the beginning ; therefore all men, verily, are un-
righteous
and sinners: whereupon it followcth, that in them
there is no
righteousness, and that they have nothing wherein
to boast before the
righteous God. For what else, I beseech
you, do
sinners carry from the judgment-seat God, but
of
confusion and ignominy ? And for because
such all men are
and in that case, therefore the apostle doth very wisely add :
"
But they are justifiedfreely by his grace through the re-
demption
in Christ Jesus ; God hath forth to be a
whom set
propitiation, or reconciliation, through faith in his blood."
[^ consistit et A'alet,Lat.]
[2 qupe justificat
et salvat, Lat. omitted;
which justifies
and saves.]
[3 of God, not in the
original.]
["*and hope saved, not in Lat.]
"
OF THE GOSrEL. 41
I,]
Which is all one as if he had said : Men arc for Christ
justified
his sake by the mere grace or mercy of God, without any
help or merit of their own, if so be they do but believe that
God hath given his Son to the world, to shed his blood, and
to reconcile the purified sinners unto his Father in heaven.
In which words there are most fully and plainly declared the
"
The manner
. , . ' n " ^^^ onlcr of
whole manner purifymg, and justifymg

and order of sanctifying, "^l^^^^f^
of sinners.
^
Sfitt"o
But it is good here to repeat the apostle's words, and
more nearly to examine and deeply to consider them. "They
are," saith he, "freely justified." But wherefore freely?
Because, forsooth, they are by the
justified mere grace of God,
For all men
without the help of their own
are
works or merits.
sinners, and therefore they have nothing of themselves to al-
lege
for their justification: whereupon it followeth, that, since
some are justified, freely by
they are justified the grace of God.
For the same apostle in the eleventh to the Romans saith : If "
we be saved by grace, then now not of works ; for then grace

is no more grace : but if by works, then is it now no grace."
But there followeth in Paul that which doth
immediately
yet make that argument more manifest, which is notwith-

standing
very manifest already; "through the redemption,"
that is in Clirist." Our righteousness and salvation
"
saith he,
For
is the work of mere grace, because we are redeemed.
in respect of ourselves, our works, and merits, we were the
servants of death and the devil, insomuch sinners as we were
to sin. God, by But

sending his Son, redeemed
and subject
his bound to the
us, when as yet, being enemies, we were
devil, his open adversary ^ Therefore he did freely redeem

us ; as Esay the prophet did in his fifty-second chapter
But true salva-
plainly foretellthat it should come to pass. tion
is not in any other, whatsoever he be, save in Christ
alone, our true Lord and Saviour. For the heavenly Father
did by his eternal counsel set forth his Son, our Lord
Jesus Christ, to be our propitiation,to wit, that he might be
our reconciliation,for whose sake only the Father being
pacified adopteth us into the number of the sons of God :
which is accomplished by none other way but through faith
in his blood ; that is,if we believe that the Son, being sent
of the Father, did shed his blood, thereby to set us, cleansed,
[5 to the devil, his open adversary ; an addition of the translator's.]
justified, before
and sanctified, his heavenly Father. Wherein
"we again that
see our salvation doth freely consist in faith in
Jesus Christ.
These points being thus unfolded, the apostle,proceeding
to shew how far the benefit of redemption and justificatio
thilVimst'''^
^^^^^ strctch, doth immediately add : To declare his right-
"
deemed.
ousness by^ the forgiveness of the sins that are past, which
God did suffer,to shew at this time his righteousness." God,
saith ho, hath set forth Christ to be the only propitiation,

that he might shew that there is but one and the same eousness
right-
of all ages ; Christ, I say, himself, who is the eousness
right-
of all that believe. Now here he maketh mention of
two several times ; that ancient age of the fathers, and this
present time wherein we now live. The ancient age is that
which went before the coming of Christ: this latter age of

ours is that which beginneth at Christ, is now at this present,
and shall be extended to the end of the world. And God
verily did of his long sufferance bear with and suffer the sins
of that old age for Christ his sake, by whom, and for whom,
he hath forgiven them : neither doth he set before us at this
day any other righteousness,save Christ alone, to be received
and embraced by faith.
the apostle doth not obscurely afterward add: "That
For
he might be just, and the justifier of them that behove on
Jesus." As if he should have said : Now the meaning of all
this is,that we should understand that all men are eous
unright-
and altogether sinners ; but that God alone is righteous,
without whom there is no righteousness at all : and that he
doth communicate his righteousness to all them that do believe
in Christ, to wit, which do believe that for Christ his sake
the Father is pleased and reconciled unto us, and that for him
we are reputed both justand holy.
Errors By thoso words of the apostle there are two very wicked
and blasphemous errors of certain fellows notably refuted.
The one of the twain is the error of them which say, that our
fathers were not by
justified, faith in Christ, but by the law
and their own merits ; aflftrmingthat Christ suffered not for

the fathers,but for them alone that lived when he was upon
the earth, and for them that followed after his death. The
other error is theirs which say, that Christ offered up his

[1 ])roptor, Iât.; for.]
OF THE GOSPEL. 43
I.]
body for the fathers,for original sin only, not for us and all
our sins; and therefore that we must make satisfaction for
in this place con-
our own sins. But the apostle Paul doth demn
these opinions. And the holy evangelist John,
both
"
The blood of the Son of God
agreeing with Taul, doth say : f/JJ"'-7
doth cleanse us from all sin. For he is the propitiationfor
our
sins; not for our sins only, but for the sins of all the
world." Therefore the merit of Christ his redemption doth
extend itselfto all the faithfulof both the testaments.

The apostle Paul proceedeth, and upon that which he had
Where is the boasting ? It is excluded.
said he inferreth :
"
By what law ? Of works ? Nay, but by the law of faith."

He gathereth by the evangelical doctrine- hitherto taught,
that all the boasting of every righteousness, and all
man's own
the bragging of every one's merits, is utterly taken away,

by the law of works;
altogether exempted, and vanished : not
that is, not by the doctrine concerning works, which is wont
for the most part to puif men up and make them swell ; but
by the law of faith ; that is, by the doctrine concerning faith,
leave in us nothing but an humble
which doth empty and
own lack of merits, at-
tributing
confession and acknowledging of our
And
all our help to grace in Christ Jesus. at the
last,gathering the chief proposition,he saith : " We do there-
fore
hold that a man without the works of the law."
is justified^
This is the sum and breviary of the whole gospel, that
we are justified, that is to say, absolved from sins, from
the definitivesentence of death and damnation,
and sanctified
God, by faith,
and adopted into the number of the sons of
that is, by an assured confidence in the name of Christ,
which is given by the Father to be our only Saviour.
And here are works by name excluded, to the end there
should be given to us nooccasion to entangle faith with
works, or to attribute to works the glory and titledue to faith
alone, or rather to Christ, upon whom our faith is grounded
and upheld.
This proposition being put forth he doth presently
once
after confirm with arguments, shewing withal that this salva-

tion
is common both to the Jews and Gentiles, saying : Is he "
[2 de fide Lat.
justificante, omitted; concerning the faith that
justifieth.]
[3 fide, Lat. ; by faith.]
the God of the Jews only ? Is he not also of the Gentiles ?

Yes, even also of the Gentiles : for it is one God that shall
justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision
through faith." fetchcth the confirmation of that which
He
he said from the nature of God. There is but one God, who
is of his own nature both lifeand righteousness ; and he is the
God both of the Jewsand the Gentiles: therefore he is the
lifeand righteousness of both the people : which righteousness
he bestoweth on them by faith : therefore faith doth justify,
or make them both righteous.
This isdeclared by the example of Cornelius the centurion.
For he is justified,or, as I should rather say, being once
he is declared
justified to be acceptable to God, by the send-
ing
down of the Holy Ghost in a visibleform upon him, when
as he neither was circumcised, nor yet had kept the law, but
had only heard the preaching of the gospel, and had believed
in Jesus Christ. Now God did not Cornelius
justify so
alone,
all other nations by faith; even
but will also justify he will
as
not by any other means than by faith alone justifythe

Jews.
It followeth in Paul :
"
Do we destroy the law
then
through faith? God forbid : but we rather maintain the law."
For the defenders or the disputers in the defence of works,
or by works, are
rather of justification wônt to :
object
then is the law, or
If faith alone in Christ doth justify,
doctrine of the law, altogether unprofitable. For to what
end are we commanded to do good works, if good works do
not justify? The apostle answereth, That the law is not
abohshed by faith,but rather maintained : for since faith doth

directly tend to Christ, in whom alone it doth seek and find
all fulness ; and that the law itselfis the school-mistress unto
Christ, and doth shut up all under sin, so that justification is
by faith given to the faithful; it is most evident, that the law
is not destroyed or darkened, but confirmed and made light,
by the doctrine of faith.
?anTtho'^^'"^^^^ apostle goeth on in his confirmation, and saith:

"
What shall we say then that Abraham our father as per-
faithfui'is'"'
justified. For if Abraham
taining to the flesh did find ? were tified
jus-
by works, then hath he wherein to boast ; but not
before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham behoved
God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." There
or THE GOSPEL. 45
I.]
are
verily many examples of the holy fathers : but among
all the rest, the apostle chose out this of Abraham^ to handle
it at large. For he in the scriptures is called the father of
them that do believe. "Whereupon it is assuredly certain,
that the children shall be justified after the same sort that
their father was ; as the apostle hath in express words taught
in the latter end of the fourth chapter. Moreover, Abra^
ham was famous for- good works above all the rest of the
holy fathers : therefore if any other could have been justified
by his good works or merits, much more might Abraham
before all the rest. But for because he was justified by
faith and not by works, it is manifest therefore that all the
saints also both have been, and are, justified by faith and
not by works. Furthermore, Abraham lived 430 years be-fore

the law was revealed by Moyses^: whereupon it followeth,
that his works cannot be called the works of the law by
by faith without
them that are the deniers of the justification
the law. the works that he did, he did them
Therefore of
faith, and his works were the works of faith ; and yet was
he not justified by them, but by faith. Therefore the glory
of the of faith
justification remaineth sound, unspotted, and
unmingled with anything else.
"
AYhat," saith he, " shall
we say that our ftitherAbraham found concerning the flesh ;"
to wit, so far forth as he is a man, and we also men of him ?
What, I say, shall we say that he deserved*? To this de-
mand
this answer must be added nothing, and : He found
by his works he deserved nothing. the proof followeth : For
If by his works he deserved anything, or was by his merits
then hath he wherein to boast. But he hath nothing
justified,
wherein to boast : therefore is he not justifiedby his works.
B'or God alone is righteous, and keepeth this his glory unto
himself alone without any partner or joint-possessor
with
him, freely justifyingthem of the faith of Jesus
that are
Christ, to the end that his grace may be always praised.
But Paul himself, by bringing in a place of scripture,
doth shew that Abraham had nothing wherein to make his
boast. "
For what," saith he, doth the scripture say ? "
Abraham behoved God, and it was counted unto him for
[1 solius, Lat. ; [2 multis, Lat. ; for

alone.] many.]
[3 Gal. iii.17. See Vol. 11. page 180.]
[iSee Vol. I. p. 116, and note 3.]
righteousness." Lo here, the

scripture cloth most plainly
say, that Abraham was by faith ; or rather, that
justified
faith was imputed to him for righteousness ; and therefore
that Abraham for his faith counted righteous before the

was
most just and righteous God.

But let us hear Paul, how he appheth this place of
scripture unto his purpose. It followeth then : " To him

that workcth is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of
duty. But to him that worketh not, but believeth in him
that justifieth
the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteous-
ness."
Which words, verily, may be briefly reduced into
this kind of argument. Whosoever doth with his works
deserve anything, to him the reward is given as a thing of
duty due unto him, and not imputed freely as though it
were no debt. But faith is imputed to Abraham ousness
righte- unto
; therefore he received righteousness, not as a reward

of duty ought
^
unto him, but as a
gift not due but freely
given him. And again : To him that worketh not, but

"
believeth in him that justifieth

the ungodly, his faith is
reckoned for rio;hteousness." But faith was

to Abraham
imputed unto righteousness : therefore he obtained righteous-
ness
by faith,and not by works.
Now there isemphasis in that he saith,
an
"
But be-
lieveth
in him that justifieth the ungodly." For thereby is
signified,that he which is to be justifieddoth bring nothing
with him but the only acknowledging of his own misery and
ungodliness, to seek for mercy at the hand of the Lord. For
he understandeth, that he is destitute of good" works, and
such as may abide the trial of God's justjudgment. He

doth therefore fly to the mercy of God, presuming for a
certainty that the righteousness of faith is the aid or help of
the sinner, that must be freely saved by the grace of God.
The right-
Here, by the way, ye must note, that Christians'righte-
ousness both is,and is said to be, imputative righteousness:
cStlansis
imputative.
which thing alone is able to break the neck of all our
boasting ; for imputation is the contrary unto debt. God
is not of duty bound to us, either for our own sakes, or for
he hath bound himself
our works' sakes ; but so far forth as
in us there are
to us of his free grace and goodness : and
many things that hinder the perfection of righteousness in
[1 i.e. owed.] [2 perfectis,Lat.J
OF THE GOSPEL. 47
I.]
US. Whereupon not into judgment[Psai.cxiiii.
David
cried: "Enter
with thy servant : for in thy sight shall no man living be
justified." Therefore God doth freely impute to us the
righteousness of faith; that is, he reputeth us for righteous

because we believe him through his Son. So we read that
in the evangelical parable the Lord did say : " But when [Luke vu.
the debtors were not able to pay, he forgave them both the
debt." For God also forgiveth us our debts or
sins, not
reputing them unto us, but counting us for righteous for
Christ his sake. For the same testi-
apostle, most evidently fying
the same thing, in the second Epistle to the Corinthians,
saith :
"
God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself,
by not imputing sins to men." And after that again :
"Him, which knew no sin, he made sin for us, that we mig-lit[2 cor. v. la,
be righteousness of God
the in him." What canst thou
require more evident, than that we are counted righteous
before God, because by Christ his sacrifice our sins are so
purged, that we should hereafter be no longer held with the

guilt of the same ?
We proceed now to reckon up the other arguments of
St Paul, as firm and manifest as these that are already re-
hearsed.
In chapter therefore it followeth : "Even

the same as what David
David describeth the blessedness of the man, to whom the justification.
Lord imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed

are they unrighteousnesses are
whose forgiven, and whose
sins are covered. Blessed is that man, to whom the Lord
will not impute sin." In the beginning he doth with clear
and evident words express the thing that he intendeth to
prove or confirm ; to wit, that God imputeth righteousness
to the
saints without works. What could be said more
plainly ? And, to prove it to be so, here he inferreth the
testimony of David, which doth in a manner contain three
sundry members or clauses : first, "
Blessed," saith he,
"
are they whose unrighteousnesses are forgiven ;" then,
"
Blessed are they whose sins are covered ;" and lastly,
"
Blessed is that man to whom flie Lord will impute no
sm.
Now
the force of the argument or demonstration doth
consist in the words. Forgive, Cover, and Not impute. The
creditor forgiveth the debtor that which he hath not paid

48 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sEIiM.
him, whether he be able or not able to pay it him. We in

respect of our
sins, which are our debts, are able to pay
nothing to God. Forgiveness therefore of those debts or sins
of ours is the gift of God's mere grace and liberahty. For
the creditor cannot forgive the thing that is already paid unto
him ; for when he giveth back the thing that he hath re-
ceived,
in so doing he doth not forgive, but ; that
give and
deed in the scriptures is called Donum, a
gift,not Remissio,
forgiving. Whereupon St Paul saith, God
"
a
gave to Abra-
ham
the inheritance:" therefore Abraham with his works did
not merit the same. Secondarily, some filthy thing that
offendeth the eyes of men is usually wont to be covered ; and
yet notwithstanding the filthy thing abidcth filthy stilP,

although it doth not appear outwardly unto the eyes of
men. And merciful God hath covered our sins,not that
our
they should not be, but that they should not appear or come
to judgment; which thing is the gift of grace, and not
of
merits. For the covering is nothing else than the blood of
the Son of God ; for for his blood's sake we sinners are not
damned. Lastly, God by
right and justice
might impute
sin unto us ; but of his grace he imputeth it not. And all
these laid together do confirm and prove, that righteousness
is freely, by faith,without works, imputed unto us.
This very same place of St Paul taken out of David doth
discuss and make plain unto us other points of doctrine
also,
whereof there is some controversy. For we learn that tion
justifica-
is nothing else but sanctification^,
forgiveness of sins, and
adoption into the number of the children of God. We learn
that St Paul speaketh not only of the ceremonial works of the
law, but also of the saints'good works of every sort. Further-
more
we learn, that both sins and iniquities,
that is, all man-
ner
sins of the faithful, are freely pardoned and utterly

forgiven. Moreover we learn that sins are fully remitted,
not the fault only, but the punishment also: which punishment,
some say, is retained ; but God doth not impute sins. In an-
other place he saith, that he will not have any remembrance

"
[jer.xxxi.
17] of our sin at all." Lastly, we learn that the satisfactions

for sin of man''s invention is a most vain lie,and flatly oppo-
site
to the apostle'sdoctrine.
[} latct adhuc sub tectorio, Lat. ; lurkoth stillunder the covcriug.]

[2 beatificatio,Lat. See Vol. i. page 106, note 6.j
OF THE GOSPEL. 49
I.]
I have hitherto alleged two most evident places ; the one
out of the gospel of Christ, the other out of St Paul his epistle
written to the Romans : by which 1 meant to prove, that
Christ, being preached to us by the gospel, is received not

by works by faith ; and I hope I have by divine testi-
but monies
so declared this matter of importance, that no man
in the same.
shall need hereafter either to doubt or waver
To all this now I add this note, stillmost necessary to bo
; that all good and holy men in the church of Christ
observed
trine
doc-
must with all their poAver do their endeavour that this
of the gospel may abide sincere and utterly uncorruptcd.
For they must in no case admit that justificationis partly
God, and partly to the
attributed to faith and the mercy of
works of faith and our own merits : for if that be admitted,
then doth the gospel lose all force and virtue. I think there-
fore,
That
that all men must only and incessantly urge this,
saved, or sanctified^by faith,without
the faithfularc justified,
I say, of God through
works, by the grace and mercy,
Christ alone. And I suppose, verily, that this doctrine of
the must be kept sincere and uncorrupt
in the church
gospel
for very many causes, but among all other for these especially
which follow hereafter.
First of all,it is manifest, that the often-repeated doctrine ^^yi^"';
doth through f^lp,^^^^
of the grace of God, which in his only Son
faith alone work justification, is by so many divine testimonies,;;;J,"sto
demonstra-
even
* " of the world, by so many
from the beo-inning;
corrul'teT
,
. .
11 n -1 the church
tions, and so many determmations oi unreproveable councils, of chnst.
both so plainly declared and throughly inculcated, that the

from heaven,
very consent of all ages in the truth revealed
in all the world, do
and the authority of the most holy men
keep that doc-
trine
sufl"cientlyinvite us to retain, maintain, and
We have the justification
of our blessed
uncorrupted.
father Abraham a little*above obscure
expounded by no
author, but even by Paul, the teacher of the Gentiles and

God himself. We have the doctrine of
elected vessel of
^
taught by the most glorious king and prophet
justification
David, a man even after God's heart's desire, the great
by the
grandsire of Christ our Lord, declared and expounded
same apostle Paul. Now Abraham and David were always
[3 beati, Lat. ; blessed.]

["*paucis, Lat. ; in few words.] [^ and prophet, not in Lat.]
4
[bULLINGER,
III.]
50 THE FOUllTH DECADE. [sEKM.
men in the church of God. With which twain

of chief account
the whole company of the prophets do wholly agree; for
[ActsX. 43.] the apostle Peter saith: "All the prophets bare witness to
Christ, that by his name every one which doth believe in him
should receive remission of his sins." And even now by
the mouth of Paul we heard say, that by the testimonies of
the law and the prophets it is proved, That the righteous-
ness
of God is freely bestowed by faith, without the law.
We have also the very Son
of God, Jesus Christ, our
Lord, whose authority, excellingfar allthe world's beside^may
2.
confirm us well enough in this piece of doctrine For he, as
it were in certain assembled councils,did determine and decree
that which we in this place do counsel all men to retain. For
having gathered together his disciplesat Ca3sarea Philippi,he
demanded of them, what men did think of him. Now when
they answered diversely, according to the diversity of opinions
that the common people had of him, he inquired of them what
they themselves thought of him^. Then Peter in the name of
all the rest said, "Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living
[Matt. xvi. God." To whom the Lord replied: "Happy art thou, Simon
Bar-jona ; for flesh and blood hath not revealed this to thee, but
Father which is in heaven." In these words he concludeth
my
two several things : first, that true faith doth make us
happy ; neither is it to be doubted but that make

"
to
happy" is used here in that signification,which ye heard out

Paul even now that David used it in : lastly, that that
of
faith is not the work of our own nature, but the
sanctifying*
heavenly gift of God. then also he taketh occasion, upon
And
that notable confession of true faith, to give a new name to
Simon Peter, for the eternal memory of the thing ^ and for
of that mystery in all men's
the imprinting of the signification
Peter confessed that Christ was a stone, or rock ;
minds.
therefore Christ surnameth Peter a Petra, that is,a stone : as
if one should call him a living stone laid upon a living stone,
Yea, and lest peradventure any
or of Christ a Christian.
man should tie the thing, universally belonging to the whole
[1 omnes in mundo prrcstantissimos, Lat.]

[2 may " doctrine, not in I/at.]
[3 certam confessionem, Lat.] [' bcatificantem, Lat.]

[5 ad seternam rei memoriam, alluding
"
to the opening phi-ase of
the decrees and bulls of the popes, "c.]
OF THE GOSPEL. 51
I.]
church, unto Peter alone, the Lord himself doth apply it unto
all the church, and saith : "And upon this stone will I build
my church ; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
As if he should have said : That which now is done in thee,
Peter, shall hereafter be done in all the faithful. Thou by
faith art laid upon me which am the stone, and art made a
member of the church : I therefore do ordain, that whosoever
confesseth me to be the stone shall be a member of the church,
sanctified^ justified,and delivered from the devil and the
power of death. Thy confession (thatis,I, Christ the Son
of God, whom shall be the foundation of the

thou confessest,)
church; upon which foundation whosoever are laid'^,they shall
be and freely saved.
justified^ For
Paul also said : "Another ra cor. m.
foundation cannot be laid than that that is already laid,which

is Christ Jesus.'' And the apostle John saith: "This is the[ijohnv.4.]
victory that hath overcome the world, even your faith." Now
lest Peter and his other fellow-disciplesshould not know the
way how other men should be admitted into the fellowship of
the church and received into the communion of Christ, he
addeth immediately : "And I will give thee the keys of the
kingdom of heaven ; and whatsoever thou loosest in earth,
shall be loosed in heaven," "c. He gave the keys when he
sent the apostles to preach the gospel. Therefore by the
preaching of the gospel (whichis the key of the kingdom of
heaven) is heaven opened, and the way pointed out how we,
being graffed in Christ and the church, may be made the

heirs of eternal life; to wit, through faith in Christ, which we
are taught by the gospel of Christ. Thus much touching the
council whereof Christ himself was president,held at Csesarea
Philippic.
is extant in John another council, held at Caper-
There naum^",
both famous and full of people. For in a great multi-
tude
of his disciplesand other men he doth determine, that
eternal life is gotten by faith in Christ ; and that there is
none other way for us to come to life than this, " to eat his
flesh,and to drink his blood;" that is,to believe in him. And
when among the audience there was a schism by reason that

many revolted from Christ, he demanded of them that were
["5beatus, Lat.] [7fide, Lat. ; by faith.] p beati, Lat.]

[0 Hsec de Csesarien. concilio bactenus, is all that
" BuUinger
says.]
[10Capemaiticuni, Lat. John vi.]
4"2
his nearest disciples,^vhcthcr they also would forsake him ?

: Since in
Then Peter in the name of all the rest did answer
thee, O Christ, there is lifeand salvation,if we depart from
thee we be partakers of life; and therefore by faith we
cannot
will firmly stick and cleave close to thee for ever.

Moreover here are to be reckoned two councils also
that were held by the apostles ; the one of which no man
'
can deny to be very general or universal ; for in it there
were devout of everymen nation under heaven. In that
council did Peter the apostle in express words teach. That

Christ is the Saviour of the world ; whom whosoever be-
lieveth,he shall have life everlasting. The place is known
in the Acts of the Apostles, the second chapter. Before the
chief of the Jews the same apostle declaretb, that there is

salvation in none other than in Christ alone. The place is
[Actsiv.] extant in the Acts of the Apostles, the third chapter. The
like he doth to the first-fruits
of the Gentiles, Cornelius and
his household, in the tenth chapter. The second council,
which was famous

also and passingly adorned with all good
gifts,is described in the fifteenth chapter of the Acts : in
which council this proposition was allowed, That faith
See the order
without works doth Jiustifv freclv. Touching O which matter
J J
of the Acts 2 ^
I have
o^the^-^pos- spoken at large in another place.
^^^^ ^7 ^1^ this I would havo it proved, that the doc-
sermôfof
decade.''' trine of Faith that justifieth without works ought to be
retained unmingled and uncorrupt in the church, because, as
I may so say, it is most catholic and altogether unrcprove-
able : to the breach whereof this curse or anathematisin

of the apostle is added, saying: If we, angel from
"
[Gal i. 8.1 or an
heaven, shall preach to you any other gospel than that

which we have preached, let him be accursed."
The second cause, why it is expedient that this doctrine
be kept sincere in the church, is ; because if it be once put
out of the glory of Christ shall be in danger of wrack
joint,
and in jeopardy. For the glory of Christ is darkened and
corrupted in the minds of men (although

of itselfit remaincth
always sound and if

divide the ousness
we begin to
righte-
clear),
whereby we stand and appear before God, attributing
it to our own
merits and good works of our own. For
this is the Son of God, heaven
"
glory of the that under
[1 vero oecumenicum, Lat.] [2scricm in Act. Lat.]
OF THE GOSPEL. 53
J.]
there is none other name given unto men in "which they
must be saved." Hereupon it is that Paul said : Christ is loai. "
v. 4;
made of none effect to you, -whosoever are justified by the

law ; ye arc fallen from grace." And again :
"
I do not
despise the grace of God ; for if righteousness be of the law,
then did Christ die in vain." If he died in vain, then is
the glory of Christ his cross perished.
The third cause is, the certain and assured reason of
our salvation. Our salvation should be utterly uncertain,
if it did depend upon and our
works merits ; who, because
of our
natural corruption, unless be beside ourselves, do we
say or ought to say with Job: "If I have any righteous- [J"ji^ 1^]
'x-
ness, I Avillnot answer, but humbly beseech my judge."

Therefore did Paul
very rightly say : If the inheritance [Rom. "
iv. u,
be of the law, then is faith void, and the promise made of

none
effect. Therefore is it of faith, as
according to grace ^;
that the promise may be firm to all the seed."
The fourth cause is ; because by this doctrine especially
there is repaired in us the image of God, to the likeness
whereof we were at the first created. For by faith Christ
dwelleth and liveth in us, who is also dehghted in our hu-
mility.
But then is the image of the devil stirred up in
us, when we begin once to be proud in ourselves, and to
usurp the glory of God ; which is done undoubtedly often so
as we do attribute our righteousness and salvation unto our-

selves,
as though by our own
works or merits we had served
de-
the kingdom of God. The devil swelleth with pride,
and doth his endeavour to rob* God of his glory. The
saints do know acknowledge that they are saved by the

and
true grace and mercy of God ; and do therefore attribute to
him all honour and glory, and to themselves confusion and
ignominy. Whereunto undoubtedly belongeth the parable
in the gospel of the Pharisee boasting in his good works,
and of the publican praying and saying, God be merciful "
tî^j'^Y'"
to me a sinner :" of which twain the publican is read to have
^
gone heavy to his house rather justified
than the other.
[3 ut secundum gratiam, Lat.]

[^ ad se rapere, Lat. ; to take to himself.]
[5 descendisse, Lat. ; to have gone down. Heavy is doubtless in all
the editions a
misprint for home, which Tyndalc's and Cranmer's
versions have.]
The fifth cause

is, the value or estimation of the sin.
For that seemeth to be no great fault, which maj bj men's
"works be blotted out before God. But the holy scripture

teacheth, that sins could be by none other means cleansed,
but by the death and innocent blood of the' Son of God.
Now by that every man that hath any understanding may
easily gather, that sin in the sight of God is a most abo-minable
and detestable thing : whereupon there doth arise
in the faithful saints a careful and diligent
watching against
sin, and acontinual bewailing of our miserable condition,
with a passing humility and exquisite modesty.
I could yet add to these some causes more,
why all men
ought to
strive and endeavour to keep this doctrine (that
the catholic church is justified
by the grace of God in his
only-begotten Son, through faith, and not through works)
sincere and uncorrupt in the church of Christ : but these I
hope are sufficientfor them that are not of purpose set to
quarrel against us. And yet, notwithstanding, there is no
peril why by this doctrine good works should be neglected :
2.
of which I have spoken in place convenient But if there
be any that cease
of purpose to cavil against the manifest
not
truth of the gospel, I
objectagainst them that saying of
[JjCor.
xi. Paul: that neither we, nor the churches of God, do stand
to wrangle in
manifest a light.
so
ônand"'"' "^^ concludo ; the sum of all that which hitherto I have
said touching the gospel is this : That all men that be in the
sum of all.
world are of their own nature the servants of sin, the devil,
and eternal death, and cannot be loosed or set at liberty
by any other means but by the free grace of God, and the
redemption which is in the only-begotten Son of God our
Lord Christ Jesus ; of which redemption they only are

made partakers that do believe and trust in him. For who-
soever
do by true faith receive Christ Jesus through the
preaching of the gospel, they are therewithal justified ; that

is, acquitted from their sins, sanctified,
and made heirs of
eternal life: but they that by their unbelief and hardness
of heart do not receive Christ, are to the eternal
given over
[j",hniii.36.]
pains and bonds of hell; for "the wrath of God abidcth upon
them."
Let us therefore give hearty thanks to God our Re-
[1 jpsius, Lat. ; of the very.] [2 Vol. i. p. 118.]
OF THE GOSPEL. 65
I.]
deemer, and humbly beseech him to keep and increase us in
the true faith, and lastly to bring us to life everlasting.
Amen.
OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF ; OF FESSION,

CON-
AND REMISSION OF SINS; OF FACTION
SATIS-
AND INDULGENCES ; OF THE OLD
AND NEW MAN; OF THE POWER OR
STRENGTH OF MEN, AND THE
OTHER THINGS PERTAINING
TO REPENTANCE.
THE SECOND SERMON.
I PROMISED in my last sermon, that I made of the gospel
of Jesus Christ, to add a discourse of repentance ; which by

in this
the help of God and your good prayers I purpose
sermon for to perform.
They among the Latins
said to repent, which are are to repent.
aggrieved at or ashamed of the thing that they have done.

Thou hast done a good turn, and thinkest him unworthy of
it for whom thou hast done it, and for that cause art sorry
to thyself: that sorrow of thine is repentance. We Germans
call it Den retten. The Greeks do name it Metanoeam.

Now they whichskilfulof that tongue say, that fxeTa-
are
to bethink afterward : so that Metancea is

voeiv sifrnifieth
there properly used, where a man, having once slipped by
doing something foolishly, doth notwithstanding at length
come to himself again, and verily purpose to correct his own
2.
error referred, not to the thought of the
It is therefore
For he that per-
mind only, but also to the deed done.
himself how
ceiveth that he hath offended, doth devise with
to amend it. So now the thing beginneth to displease thee,
which before did please thee : so now thou eschewest the
thino; that before thou ensuedsf*. Moreover the Hebrews
callrepentance Thesclmhah^, that is,a conversion, or returning

to the right way or mind again. The metaphor seemeth to
[3 Bullinger here refers to Erasmus' annotation on Matth. iii. 2:

intelligendo, ubi quis
fxeravoia dicta est a neravoelv, hoc est, a posterius
lapsus, peracta, turn demum
re animadvertit erratum suum.]
[4 cupidissime, Lat. omitted ; most eagerly.]
T -I
be taken of them which once did stray from the right path,
but do again at length return into the way : which word is
transUxtcd to the mind, to the manners, and deeds of men.
ihe diverse But HOW this word is diversely used; for repentance
use of this ..,,,,. ", ., /,
wordrepen-
signiticth the chaugmg 01 the purpose once conceived, or ot
any other thing. For by Jeremy saith :

"
If they
the Lord
[jer.xviii.
^'"^ turn from evil, I will also repent me of the evil which I
meant to lay upon them." Therefore God doth then repent,
when he changeth his purpose : he repenteth not, when he

doth not alter it. Paul saith : The gifts and calling of God
"
xi.
^Rom.
[Psai.ex. 4.] are without repentance." And David said : The Lord hath
"
Bepentanee and will not ropeut."

swom, Elsewhere repentance is figu-
Indwhatir rativcly attributed to God, like to the affection of mortal
when he saith, I repent^ me that I have made
"
LGen. vi. 70 men : as
man." For God of his own nature doth not repent as men
do, so that he should be touched with grief, and that the
thing should now mislike him which he before did like of;
but he doth barely alter that which he hath done. Among
writers they
ecclesiastical said to repent, which after a
are
prescribed manner of punishment do penance for their sins

which they have committed. The scripture in another place
doth use it for the whole effect and matter of the gospel :
[Acts xi. 18.]for in the Acts we read, that God gave to the Gentiles re- pentanc
unto life. But wo, in this disputation of ours, will
use repentance for
converting or turning to the Lord, for
a
the acknowledging of sins, for the grief conceived for sins

committed, for mortification, and the beginning to lead
a life; and finally^ for the change, correction, and
new
amendment of the life from evil to better : that which we

Germans call Bekeerung, Enderung oder Besserung^.
What repcn- divcrsoly too is repentance defined of the eccle-
And as
siastical
tance is.
: howbeit it is
writers all agree that a conversion or
turning to the Lord, and an alteration of the former life
and opinion. We therefore do say, that repentance is an
unfeigned turning to God, whereby we, being of a sincere
fear of God once humbled, do acknowledge our sins, and
so, by mortifying our
old man, are afresh renewed by the
\} It rcponteth, cd. 1577.]

[2 breviter, Lat. ; shortly.]
[3 bekelu'ung, conversion; aenderung, changing; besserung, cor-
rection
OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 57
I].]
Spirit of God^. This definitiondoth consist upon her parts,
"which, being somewhat more hxrgcly opened and dihgently
expounded, will declare unto us and lay before our eyes tho
whole nature of repentance.
First WG say, that repentance is
unfeigned turning an conversion
unto God. For I will hereafter shew you, that there are
two sorts of repentance; to wit, feigned and unfeigned. And
the apostle Peter saith : " Repent, and turn, that your sins [Acts iii.lo.]
may be blotted out ;" expounding, as it were, the firstby the
last, to wit, repentance by returning ; (he
meaneth) to him
from whom they had turned themselves away. For there
is a certain relation betwixt turning to and turning fro.
If thou hadst never turned away, then hadst thou had no
need to have turned to again. But we have all turned

away from the true, just,and good God, and from his holy
will, unto the devil and our own corrupt aflFections. And
therefore must we again turn us from the devil, and from
our old naughty life and will, unto the living God and his
most holy will and pleasure. We do here significantlysay,
to God, and not to creatures or any help of man. For the
Lord in Jeremy dothsay :
"
If, Israel, thou wilt return, [Jcr.iv. i.]
return to therefore do not

me." Whosoever turn to God,
nov make themselves conformable to his holy will, howsoever

they do turn to creatures and other means of man's inven-
tion,
yet are they not^ to be esteemed counted penitents.or
Now there is none so blind but seeth, that for the stir-The doctrine
/. 1 1 .
1 "
/" 1 "^ verity is
rmo: ~
01 us up^ to repentance the preachma; or doctrme ot the needful to
^ ^
. , . .
repentance.
truth is needful and requisite, to teach us what God is to
whom we must be turned ; what the goodness and holiness
is,to which we must be turned : who the devil is, and what
the evil and wickedness^ is,from which we must be turned ;
and lastly,what the thing is that must be amended in our
mind and life,and also how it must be altered and amended.

Truly and apostles of the Lord, in exhorting
the prophets
men unto repentance, do travail much and stick very long
in describing of God's nature, goodness, righteousness, truth
and mercy in painting out the laws and ofiicesof the life
;
of man ; and in accusing and heaping up^ the sins of men;
["*
spiritualiter.]
[5 revera, Lat. omitted; in truth.] [6 falsum, Lat.]
["êxaggerandis, Lat.]
whereunto they add the grievous and horrible tokens' of

God's just judgments : as is in every place of the prophets'
writings to be found very rifely. And therefore some there

are which bid us even now to preach the law to those men
whom we would draw unto repentance : which thing as I

do not gainsay, but very well like it,so do I withal admonish
them, that the preaching of the gospel also doth to
object
men their sins, and grievously accuse them. For the Lord
[joiinxvi.8, in the gospel saith : "
When the Holy Ghost cometh, it shall
argue the world of sin, because they believed not in me."
Whereupon St Peter, in the Acts of the Apostles, upbraiding
to the Jews their sins committed, and
preaching unto tliem
Christ and faith in Christ, exhorteth them unto repentance.
The places are very well known. Acts ii.and iii. St Paul,
going about to draw the Athenians unto repentance, doth
[Actsxvii. say: "God, who hath hitherto winked at the times of this
ignorance, doth now preach to all men everywhere that they
should repent ; because he hath appointed a day, in which
he will judgethe world with righteousness through Christ."
Let them therefore, to whom charge is given to draw men^
unto repentance, learn here to use much liberty and wisdom,
that all men may acknowledge their sin and the greatness
of their iniquity. Moreover God doth stir up men to re-
pentanc
not by his word only, but also by divers afflictions
and sundry sorts of punishments :

yea, all the calamities
that happen in the world are certain sermons, as it were,
persuading and drawing us unto repentance. For, that I
may in silence overpass that which is written in the prophets ;
did not our Lord himself in the gospel, when he heard
tidings of the slaughter which Pontius Pilate had made
upon the Galileans, and the death of the eighteen men upon
jLukexiii.
whom the tower in Siloe fell,presently say, "Think ye that
they were greater sinners than the rest ? No, verily ; but
unless ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." It is as-
suredly
certain therefore, that war, famine, and plagues^ do
always invite us unto repentance ; that is, they premonish
us, by laying sin aside, to be converted unto God, and
wholly
to give ourselves to sincere integrity.
[} minas graves et horrendas hypotyposes, Lat.]

[2doctrina, Lat. omitted ; by doctrine.]
[3 pastes omnes, Lat. ; all
plagues.]
II.]
Butin vain is repentance preached unto us, unless bv The fear or
fear and trembling conceived in our minds we do reverently
i,enit"nti.
dread the wrath and judgmentof Almighty God conceived
against us because of our sins and wickednesses. Now this

fear is outwardly stirred in us by the external preaching or
disciplineof the minister*, as I told you before ; but that ex-
ternal
doctrine availeth nothing alone, unless inwardly, that
is,in our hearts, we be moved by the Holy Spirit of our
heavenly Father. And therefore Jeremy in his Lamentations
Turn us, O Lord, and we shall be turned." And
"
crieth : [Lam. v. 21.]
in the thirty-firstchapter :
"
Turn thou me, 0 Lord, and I ^^^j-^"]"'
shall be turned ; because thou art the Lord my God. And
after I was turned, it repented me of evil." We read that

St Peter, being provoked by the words of the damsel that
kept the door, and of the soldiers,did foully deny his master
Christ ; but, being revoked at the cock's crowing, he repented
his fault or folly from the bottom of his heart. And yet it
was not the crowing of the cock of itself alone, that stirred
that motion in him ; but that and the word of Christ together,
who had said unto him :
"
Verily I say unto thee, the cock
shall not crow tillthou hast denied me thrice." Whereupon
St Matthew saith ; And Peter remembered
"
the words of the [Matt.xxvi.
34, 75.]
Lord, which had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou
shalt deny me thrice," "c. With these also is joineda more
secret touching of Peter's mind ; for the good Lord touched

the heart of Peter, as the evangelist testifieth,
saying : "And [Lukexxu.
the Lord, turning himself about, looked upon Peter." That

looking back of the Lord made Peter's heart to melt, and
drew the destruction whereinto it was
it from about to fall.
Therefore if our ears be pierced with the word of God, and
our hearts touched with his Holy Spirit, then shall we, like
true penitents, unfeignedly reverence and dread the Lord.
therewithal, being humbled
And before the most justand ourhum-
"
bling and ac-
1 1 "" 1 1
holy God, whom with our sins do so unowiedging
w
we
' much offend and pro-
^
of our sins.
^ ^
voke to wrath and indignation, we confess his judgmentto be

justagainst us, and freely acknowledge all the sins and
iniquities that in the word of God are against us,
objected "
crying out and saying with the prophets : Thou, verily, rjer. xii. 1 -,
0 Lord, art righteous, thou art true, and thy judgmentsjust; 75;isai.ixiv.
but we are most unrighteous, liars,wicked, and wholly over-f/s.aj
["*of the minister, not in Lat.]

"wlielmed with detestable iniquities. There is nothing sound

or
sincere Avithinus. iVU that we have is corrupt and miser-
able.
We have sinned, we have been wicked, we have done
we have forsaken thee.
have gainsaid thy ser-
We
vants
unjustly,
the prophets, we have not obeyed the words of thy
mouth. To thee therefore, 0 God, doth righteousness belong,
and to us wretches shame and confusion." This humiliation and

free confession of sins doth God require of penitent sinners :
touching which I will hereafter speak somewhat more ; for
now I return more fully to expound the fear of the Lord.
The fear of At this proseutI sDoak of the sincere fear of God: for
God IS of two """"""
^
sorts. yye confess that the fear of God is of two sorts, sincere and
unsincere. The sincere fear of God is perceived in the faithful,

and is a godly reverence consistingin the love and honour of
[Mai. i. c] God. For
the prophet bringeth in God saying : The son "
honoureth the father, and the servant the master : therefore

if I be a father, where is my honour ? if a lord, where is my
[Rom. viii. fear?" Paul saith; "Ye have not received the spiritof
And
bondage again unto fear ; but ye have received the spiritof
adoption, by which we cry, Abba, Father." Therefore the
sincere fear of God in them -that do repent is not the servile

dread of punishment, but a careful study mixt with the love
and honour of God. An honest wife feareth her husband, and a

^
gracious daughter feareth her father ; and yet each of them
doth therewithal love, the one her father, the other her band,
hus-
and doth with an holy love endeavour herself to keep

his favour, and fear lest at any time she should do anything
to lose it. And therefore penitents do not only fear2, because
they know, being taught by the Spirit of God, that they have
committed sins, for which they have deserved to be forsaken
of the Lord ; but do also love him as their merciful Father,
and therefore sorry with all their hearts for their sins
are
committed ; and do above all things most ardently require to

be reconciled again to their merciful God and loving Father.
Yov witli this sinccro fear of God is joinedthe grief or
Sorrow to
God-ward. " o
_ ^ _ ^ ^ _
sorrow, which is conceived by the Spirit of God for our sins

that we commit. St Paul maketh mention of two sorts of sor-
[2 Cor. vii. rows. "The that is to God- ward," saith he, " doth bring
sorrow
10 1 .
forth repentance^ not to be repented of ; but, contrarily, the
{}parentem, Lat.] [2 Deum, Lat. omitted; God.]

[3ad salutem, Lat. omitted; to
salvation.]
OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. Gl
II.]
sorrow of the world bringeth death." The king and prophet

David sorrowed to God-ward, when he cried : " Thine arrows
stick fast in me, and thy hand doth press me sore. There is
no part in my flesh, because of thy displeasure : there
whole
"
is no rest in my bones by reason of my sin : and so for-
ward,
as is to be seen in the thirty-eighth Psalm ; which,
although it were written of his grievous disease or sickness,

doth yet notwithstanding, as it were in a shadow, shew us the
great grief that is in the saints for offending their good and
gracious Father with their continual* sins. To God-ward was
the sinful woman sorry in St Luke, who, fallingprostrate at [fûiêvii.
the Lord's heels, did wash his feet with tears, and wiped them
with her hair. To
God- ward was St Peter sorry, and wept [mkexxii.
*""-'
(as we read)full bitterly for his offence. The godly are
greatly grieved because they do so oftentimes offend so foully
so good a God and gracious Father. No words, I tliink,can
possibly express the grief and sorrow that they conceive.
But the prophet Jeremy, describing the contrary affection of
impenitent sinners, doth say : "Do men fall,so that they may j^^. 4-
[viii.
''^
not rise again ? Doth any man go so astray, that he may not
turn again? How doth it happen then that this people of
Hierusalem is turned away so stubbornly ? I gave ear and
hearkened, they spake not rightly : there was none that did
him of his wickedness, to say, "What have I done?
repent
like fierce
Every of them turned to his
one own course, a
horse headlono; to the battle."

as know
worldly grief is the sorrow
The of such men not
God, and are without faith and the true love of God ; yea,
of such as yield under the burden of sorrow, adversities,and^

is the consideration
very sins. Like to this also, in a manner,
of the unsincere fear of God. For the wicked, with their

head the devil, do fear God, not asfather, whom
a they are
sorry to offend, and to whom they desire to be reconciled as to

a father ; but as a tormentor, because they know that he will
revenge their evil deeds ; and therefore with Judas^ they

run'^ to the rope. There is in them no love of God, no
honour, no good-will, no reverence, but mere hatred ^ horror,
[} continual, not in Lat.]

[5 adeoque et, Lat. ; and so of their sins
also.]
[*5Iscai-iotha, Lat. [^ tandem, Lat. ; at last.]
omitted.]
[8odium Dei, Lat.]
62 THE FOURTH DKCADE. [SERM.
and utter desperation. But such fear the apostle and evan-
[ijohniv. gehst John denied to be in charity, saying that "perfect
"^"''
charity casteth out all fear:" I mean not that fear of the
Lord that is the beginning of -wisdom ; but that of which I
have spoken all this while ; the fear, I mean, that is in the
devil and wicked men his members K
Faith is need- And HOW gather, that unto penitents faith
bv this wc in
'
ful in them n "

j "
n p
"
. "
^r
that repent, Qod and tlio merit of Christ is most ot all and especially
In it is, I think, that many have made
needful. which sense
faith a part of repentance : which as I do not greatly deny,
it difference
yet do I see that St Paul made
so as were a
betwixt faith and repentance, when in the twentieth of the

Acts he saith, that "he witnessed both to the Jews and
Gentiles the repentance that is toward God, and the faith in
to be
Jesus Christ." repentance and faith seem
Therefore
diverse : not that true repentance can be without faith ; but
because they must be distinguished, and not confounded.
We do all know faith is not without works,
that true
as that which of necessity sheweth forth good works-;

faith and works, so yet
and yet we make a difference betwixt
that we do not separate them or rend the one from the other :
and in like manner we acknowledge that true faith and true
fastened
repentance are undividedly knit together, and closely
the one to the other. I will not stand in argument, whether
faith be a part of repentance, or doth by any other means
folly to
depend upon it. It seemeth to me a notable point of
logic; for
go about to tie matters of divinity^ to precepts of
we learn not that of the Lord's apostles. I admonished you
I do here
before in a sermon of the gospel^ (whichthing
repeat again), that the acknowledging of sins doth not of itself
obtain grace or forgiveness of sins ; even as the bare acknow-
ledging of a disease is not -the remedy for the same: for
even damned men also do acknowledge their sins,and yet are
not therefore healed. The acknowledging of sin is a certain
preparative unto faith ; as the acknowledging of a disease

doth minister occasion to think upon a remedy. To this at
fear of God, how
this present we add, that not the very
sincere soever it be ; not the very sorrow conceived for our
[1 the fear members, not in Lat.]

"
[2 lege utique communi, is Bullinger's parenthesis.]

[3 ubique, Lat. omitted; in all cases.] \} Sec above, p. 35.]
OF UKl'ENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES TliEUEOF. 63
II.]
sins, how great soever it be ; nor the very humiUation, how
submiss soever it be, do of themselves make us^ acceptable

to God : but rather that they prepare an entrance and make a
way for us unto the knowledge of Christ, and so consequently
do lead us to Christ himself being incarnate and crucified for
us and our redemption, and lay us upon Christ alone, by him
to be quickened and purely cleansed. For he that is truly
converted to God is utterly turned from himself and all hope

of worldly aid. Whoso doth truly fear God and is sorry in
very deed from the bottom of his heart, he doth fear and is
sorry for his sins committed ; and not for that alone, but
because he findeth himself to be corrupted wholly, and to
have in himself no soundness or integrity : yea, because he
reverenceth God as his Father, he doth disclose to him his
wounds as chirurgeon, desiring instantly to be reconciled

to a
to him as to his loving Father. And whereas here true god-

liness
doth cry, that no man can be reconciled to God the
Father but by the only-begotten Son ; the penitent doth by
faith lay hold on the Son, and so seek the means of his
reconciliation''. Faith is grounded upon the only grace or
mercy of God exhibited to us in Christ Jesus, and the penitent
believeth that he is accepted of God for Christ his sake alone :
and therefore he maketh his supplicationsto God, committing
himself wholly unto his mercy ; as we read that David, and
the prodigal son in the fifteenthchapter of St Luke's gospel,
did. Tothis place might be annexed the doctrine of^ the
gospel, of faith in Jesus Christ, and of the remission of sins ;
touching which I have already spoken.
And here I think it not amiss, that the minds of penitents smsarefuiiy
must be confirmed with many
by all means and evident places forgiven unto
penitents*
of scripture plainly uttered concerning the full remission of
sins, to the end that hereafter we have no scruple of con-
science
to cause us to despair or doubt in our temptations :
wherein notwithstanding I repeat again and again this note

to be throughly marked, for the confirmation of the glory of
the only-begotten Son of God, our Lord Christ Jesus, that
penitent sinners have their sins remitted, not for their repent-
ance,
in respect that it is our work or action ; but in respect
[5 pcenitentes, Lat.]
[6 and so reconciliation ; an addition of the translator's.]
"
[7 de, Lat. ; concerning.]

that it comprelicndcth the renewing of man by the Holy

Ghost, and true faith, which dchvercth us to Christ our cian,
physi-
that he heal all our diseases and bind up all our
may
griefs^ And although this treatise doth properly belong to
I have so
the common place of faith and the gospel, of which
briefly as I could already discoursed ; yet notwithstanding I
"willhere recite some evident sentences touching the grace of

God and free remission of our
sins,
David in the hundrethand third psalm saith :
"
Praise
the liord, 0 my soul, and forget not the things that he hath
done for thee : which forgiveth all thy sins, and healeth all
thine infirmities: which saveth thy life from destruction, and
He hath not
crowneth thee with mercy and loving-kindness.
dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our
wickedness. For look how high the heaven is in comparison
of the earth ; so great is his mercy toward them that fear

him. And look how far the east is from the west ; so far hath
he set oursins from us. Yea, like as a father pitieth his own
fear him. For
children, so is the Lord merciful to them that
he knoweth that we are frail(proneto
sin),and doth remember
that we are but dust."
in the first chapter of his prophecy saith: "Thus
Esay
saith the Lord, Though your sins be as red as scarlet,they

shall be made whiter than snow ; and though they be red as
in the
purple, they shall be made like undyed- wool." Again,
forty and third chapter, he bringeth in the Lord saying :
"
I am he that blot out the^ transgressions, and that for mine
own
sake, and I will not remember thy sins."
In the thirty-first chapter of Jeremy, which saying is
also alleged by Paul in the eighth and tenth chapters to the
Hebrews, the Lord saith : This is my covenant
"
that I will
be merciful unto
make with them after these days ; I will
their iniquities,and not remember their sins any more."
In the thirty-sixth chapter of Ezechiel the Lord saith :
"I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall bo
A new heart also will
cleansed from all your uncleanness.
I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you : as for
that stony heart, I will take it out of your flesh, and give
vou a fleshy heart. I will deliver you from all your un-
[1 contritioncs, Lat.] [^ nativa lana, Lat.]

[3 tuas, Lat. ; thy.]
OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. C5
II.]
cleannesses. But I will not do this for your sakes, saith the
Lord, be ye sure of it,"c."
Daniel in his ninth chapter Icavcth to us a manifest ex-
ample
of confession of sins,and doth in express words say
that by the Messiah sins forgiven, iniquity purged, and
are
everlasting:rio;hteousness broucjht in instead of if*. So doth

the prophet Zachary in his third chapter affirm, that the
iniquity of the earth is purged by the only sacrificeof Christ
Jesus.
TheLord, in the gospel after St Matthew, doth say :
"
They that are whole need not the physician, but they that [Matt. ix. 12,
are sick. Neither did I come to call the righteous, but sinners
to repentance." And therefore is he called Jesus, that is,
a Saviour : for the angel said, " He shall save his people LWatt.i. 21.]
from their sins." And St Paul to Timothy saith: "It is a [i Tim. 1. 15.]
sure
saying, and worthy by all means to be received, that
Jesus Christ came into the world to save
sinners."
"
In
the gospel the
same Lord saith : Every sin and [Matt.xii.
blasphemy shall be forgiven men ; but blasphemy against
the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven men. And whosoever
shall say a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven
him : but whosoever speaketh a word against the Holy
Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world,
nor in the world to come." Concerning sin against the
^.
Holy already spoken in another place
Ghost I have ISTow
to this place do belong all the examples of that most liberal
kind of forgiveness,which is expressed in the gospel : as for
example, of the sinful woman, Luke vii.; also John ir.
and viii.; of Zachee, St Peter, and the thief upon

Matthew
the cross. But who is able briefly to reckon them all? To
this also do appertain the three parables in the gospel^ after
the evangelist St Luke.
In the gospel after St John the forerunner of the Lord tfô^^
1-29 ;
Behold the Lamb of God, that

"
doth cry out, saying :
taketh away the sins of the world.'" And the Lord himself
did say to his disciples: " Whose sins soever ye forgive, they
are forgiven."
the apostle in the Acts doth cry and say :
Peter "
All [Acts %. 43.]
the prophets bear witness to Christ, that whosoever believeth
[4 instead of it,not in Lat.]

[5 See Vol. II. p. 420.] [^ ex 15 cap. Lat. omitted.]
[bullinger,
III.J
in him should by his receive remission of his sins."

name
[1 Pet. ii.24.] The Same apostle again in his Epistle saith : "Christ his
own self bare our sins in his body upon the cross \ that we,
being dead to sin, might live to righteousness : by whose
stripes ye are healed."
The apostle Paul fifth chapter of his second
in the
Epistle to the Corinthians saith : " God was in Christ recon-
ciling
the world unto himself, not imputing their sins unto
them. For him, that knew not sin, he made sin for us ;
that we throuo-h him might be made the righteousness of
God." And in the tenth to the Hebrews he hath : " Christ,
having offered one sacrificefor sin, is set down at the right
hand of God for ever; from henceforth tarrvino* tillhis foes
be made his footstool. For with one offeringrhath he made
perfect for ever them that are sanctified."
Moreover the blessed apostle and evangelist John doth
r I John i no less truly than evidently testify,saying : " The blood of
li.2.]
Jesus Christ the Son of God doth cleanse us from all sin."
And again :
"
is the propitiation for our
And he sins ; not
for ours only, but for the sins also of the whole world."
Against
Novatians
the But now most vain and the very messengers of Satan
and Ana-
baptists. himself are the Novatians and Anabaptists, which feign that
we are by baptism purged into an angelical life,which is
not polluted with any spots at all: but if it be polluted, then
can he that is so defiled look for no pardon at all". For,
to pass over many other places of holy scripture, was not
St Peter consecrated to God in baptism ? Had he not tasted
^
of God's good grace? After that notable confession which
[Matt.xvi. he made, the Lord said unto him : Happy art thou, Simon
"
17-]
Bar-Jona ; flesh and blood
hath not revealed this unto thee,
but my Father which is in heaven." Again, when the Lord
[John vi. 67 demanded of his disciples,
!'./"' savino-, "Will ve depart
1 also?" t
"69.] .
then Peter m the

of them all answered ;
nam.e
"
Lord, to
whom shall we go ? Thou hast the words of eternal life;
and we believe and know that thou art Christ, the Son of
the living God." And yet this very same Peter, after his
baptism and tasting of the grace of God, sinned notwith-
{} super lignum, Lat.]

[2 See Vol. II. p. 424. n. 3. and Bullinger, adv. Anabapt. Lib. i.
cap. 11.]
[3 Certe, Lat. omitted; unquestionably.]
II.] OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 67
standing, and that too not lightly^ in denying

and for-
swearing
his Lord and Master. Now was ho, for this sin of
his, altogether unpardonable ? "Was his return to God again
stopped up by his stumbling ? No, verily. For when he

heard the cock crow, he remembered presently the words of
the Lord, he descended into himself, he considered what he
had done, he wept bitterly and mourned lamentably. And
yet he was not long tormented in that grief without conso-
lation.
For the third day after, to the women which came
to the Lord's sepulchre it was said by the angels : Tell "
his disciples,and Peter, that he is risen, and goeth before
you into Galilee." Lo hero, the Lord will have it known

to Peter by name, that ho risen. And
was why to Peter
by name ? Because, forsooth, he had sinned more grievously
than the other : not that the Lord did like of Peter's sin ;
but because he would thereby declare to us that penitents
do obtain forgiveness of their sins, so often as they do turn
to the heavenly grace of God again. And not many days
after he restored Peter to the ministry again, commending

to him the charge of his sheep.
Moreover the Lord in Jeremy speaketh to the people
of Israel,saying: If any man put away his Avife,and she^
"
[Jer.iu. i.]
marry to another man, will her first husband turn to her
again ? But is not this land defiled? Hast thou not com-
mitted
fornication with many ? Yet turn thee to me again,
saith the Lord." And the Galatians, being once rightly in-
structed
by the apostle Paul, but after that seduced by the
false apostles, revolted from the truth and preaching of the
gospel : yet notwithstanding they obtained pardon. The

Corinthians also, after they had received grace, did wittingly
and willingly sin in many things : but yet upon repentance
the apostle Paul promised them forgiveness of their sins at
the hands of the Lord.
Andwhat is more manifest than this, that all the saints
do daily in earnest and truly, not hypocritically or falsely,
pray saying, "Forgive us our trespasses'?" They which pray

thus do plainly confess that they are sinners ; and the Lord
promiseth to hear those that pray with faith. Therefore even
those sins are forgiven at the prayers of penitents, which
[^ sed gravissime, Lat. omitted ; but most heinously.]

[s ab ipso divertens, Lat. omitted ; turning aside from him.]
5 "
2
G8 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
are committed after the grace of God is once known and

obtained.
Xow the places in the epistle to the Hebrews, which the
Xovatians allege for the confirmation of their opinion, I have
in another place so thoroughly discussed", that I need not here
busily to stand long upon them.
The sum of
But now to gatherof those things which I have
a sum
the true
doctrine of hitherto said concerning repentance; let us hold, that repent-
ance
repentance.
is a turning to God, which, although he doth by his
word and other means stir it up in us, is notwithstanding

especially by the Holy Ghost so wrought in us, that with fear
we love and with love we fear our justGod and merciful
Lord^ from whom we were turned back, being sorry now with
all our hearts that we with our sins did ever oifend so Q-racious
a Father. For being humbled before his eternal and most
we acknowledge the sins that are
sacred majesty, objected
ao'ainst us by the word of God : yea, we
acknowledge that in
us there is no integrity or soundness ; but do heartily desire
to be reconciled with God again : and since that reconciliation
cannot be
otherwise made than by the only Mediator the
Lord Christ Jesus, we do by faith lay hold on him, by whom
we, being acquitted from all our sins, are reputed of God for
righteous and holy. This benefit whosoever do sincerely
acknowledge, they cannot choose but hate sin and mortify

the old man.
I would therefore now add other members belono-ing to
this treatise of repentance, to wit, the mortification of the
old man, and the renewing of the spirit,were it not that the
have somewhat
very matter itselfdoth require to said touch-
incf the confession^ of sins and satisfactionfor the same. For
some there are that, when they speak of repentance, do speak
some things contrary to the truth*. To the end therefore,
dearly beloved, that ye be not ignorant what to think of these
I
points according to the truth, will not stick to stay somewhile
in the exposition of the same. And I hope ye shall out of
my words gather such fruit as ye shall not hereafter repent
yourselves of.
[1 See Vol. II. p. 424.]

[2 ut revertamui- ad ipsum, Doum, inquam, justum,a quo "c. Lat.]
[3 de confessione, Lat. But ed. 1587 has. /br^?i'C"";ss.]
[4 de his, Lat. omitted ; touching these points.]

or UEPENTANCK, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. (^9
II.]
Toconfess, or a confession, is in the holy scripturesfessionof
or the con-
"""r"i -iTii
diversely used. For it significthto praise the Lord, and to sins.
his hands ;
give him thanks for the benefits that we receive at
and therefore confession is put for praise and thanksgiving.
For the prophet saith : "O praise the Lord; for he is good,
and his mercy endureth for ever^." Paul in his epistle to

Titus, speaking of hypocrites, saith: "In words they confess*^
that they know God, but in their deeds they deny him."
Here signify to say, to profess, or to boast.
to confess doth
In another place it is taken for to trust, to stay upon God's
goodness, and to testify that confidence as well by words as

deeds : and in that sense did St John use it in the fourth
Romans.
chapter of his epistle,and Paul in the tenth to the
Moreover, to confess is to give glory to God, and freely to
acknowledge thy sin and the judgmentwhich is to

objected
thee for thy sin. Salomon in the twenty-eighth chapter of
doth
his Proverbs saith: Whosoever hideth his iniquities"(or'^
"
as it were defend them),"nothing shall go well with him : but

whoso confesseth and forsaketh them, to him shall be shewed
mercy." The Hebrew tongue useth^ the word Jadahiov that
"which we call,to confess. Now Jadah signifieth to let slack,

or loose
^,
as when a bow once bended is unbended again. And
Modeh^^, of Jadah, is as if one
should say,
which cometh
or to be vanquished ^^ For God
confessing, yielding, granting
'^
to
accuseth us, guilty of sin and endangered
and pleadeth us
punishment : which our flesh doth presently ^^ acknowledge,

but yet standeth stifflike a bended bow, until at length, when
that stiffness is unbended, it doth acknowledge every thing
that God This acknowledging is called
objecteth against us.
Modeh, that is, a confession. And we Germans say, Es hat
[5 Psal. cxxxvi. 1. Confitemini Domino.]

[6 Chap. i. 16. they confesse, Tynclale, 1534. Cranmer, 1539.]
[7 imo et, Lat. ; nay also.]
[8 in hac senlentia, Lat. omitted ; in this sentence.]
[9 projicere vel dimittere, Lat.]
[10ni^ i(^ "^"^st,cast forth,cast out. miD confessing.Parkhurst,
Heb. Lex. in
voc]
[11herbam prsebens, Lat. For this proverbial phrase see Erasm.
Adag. Chil. p. 707. col. 1. Hanov. 1617.]
[12endangered to. See Tyndale's Doctr. Treatises, ed. Park. See.
pp. 236, 502.]

[13non protinus, Lat. ; doth not presently.]
hat geschnellt, when that anything

gelassen, Er we mean
hath yielded, or that a man hath at last confessed that
which he did afore either flatly

deny or else dissemble.
Confession But confession of sins is of more
now sorts than one ; for
dainedof the ono is divine, the other human. I will firstspeak of the
divine confession, then of the human.
We call that divine, whereof there be evident testimonies
is institutedby-
or examples in the holy scriptures,and which
God himself. That is a free acknowledging and flat confession
do
of the sin which God^ against us, Avhereby we
objecteth
attribute all glory to God, and to ourselves shame and confu-
sion
; and therewithal do crave of God, and of
pardon our
we have sinned. Now sin is

neighbour, against whom objected
to us by God himself, who outwardly or theby the word,
ministry of men, and sometimes by signs and wonders, and

inwardly by the secret operation of his Holy Spirit,doth plead
us guilty of sin and endangered to punishment, requiring of
us a free and voluntary confession of our sins. For he liketh
of a free and voluntary, not a feigned or extorted, confession.
Truly, the citizens of Hierusalem and people of the Jewish
to the baptism of John,
religion did of their own accord come
had
confessing their sins which John^ in his preaching objected
them. And after the ascension of Christ into heaven
ao-ainst
St Peter accused the sins^ of the Jews; and immediately upon
the accusation it followeth in the history : "When they heard
Peter and
this, they were pricked in their hearts, and said to
the other apostles. Men and brethren, what shall we do ?" "
Acts. Likewise
and so forth, as followeth in the second of the
feeling the earth-
also the keeper of the prison at Philippos^ quake,
being instructed with the apostles"'
sprang out, and
baptized ^. And the men
words confessed his sins and was of
Ephesus which were to magical arts, when they heard the
given
FActs xix.
calamity which the devil brought upon the sons of Sceva, their
fellows and practisers in magic and sorcery, did fear exceed-
Upon these causes
ino-ly,and came and did confess their sins.
for the most part doth the confession of sins especiallyarise.
[1 God, not in the original: quse nobis, Lat.]

objicitur
[2 beatus Joannes, Lat.]
[3peccatum, Lat.]
[4 magister cavceris Philippic!, Lat. Acts xvi. 26 "
33.]
[5 and was baptized, not in Lat.]
II.]
Again, of the confession institutedby God there are two xheconfes-
sorts, whereof the one is made to God, the otlier to our is pihateiy
neighbour. That which is made to God is either private or ood.
pubhc. AVc do then make our confession to God privately,

when we disburden our hearts before God, open the secrets
of our hearts to him alone, and, in acknowledging the sins
that are in us, do earnestly beseech him to have mercy upon
us. This confession is necessary to the obtaining of pardon
for our sins : for unless we do acknowledge our own cor-
ruption
unrighteousness, we shall never by true faith
and
lay hold on Christ, by whom alone we are to be justified.
But here we think not that
penitents must to any hasten
other confessor to confess their sins unto, but unto God
alone ; for he alone doth forgive and blot out the offences
of penitents^. lie is the physician, to whom alone we must
discover and open our wounds. He it is that is offended
with us, and therefore of him we must desire forgiveness'^
and reconciliation. He alone doth look into our hearts and

disclose our
search our reins; to him alone therefore we must
hearts. alone calleth sinners unto him : let us therefore
He
him, confess
make haste unto hira, prostrate ourselves before
our faults unto him, and crave pardon for them of him.
This confession, if it be made of a zealous mind to God-ward,
by
although it cannot be made by word of mouth of reason
some impediment or want of the tongue^, is notwithstanding

acceptable to God^ who doth not so much respect the mouth
as the mind of man. On the other side,if we make confession
in heart thoroughly bent to the
with the mouth, and are not
high-
same^*',although we make that confession to God or the
priest,yet doth not the Lord regard so vain a confession.
Concerning that true confession to God I have already
I said that
spoken, where as^^ in the definition of repentance
penitents do acknowledge their sins : of which the scripture
in the Psalms
doth in many places substantially speak. David
[6 of penitents, not in Lat.]

[^ pax, Lat. Bullingcr here borrows largely from Calvin. Instit.
Lib. HI. cap. 4. " 9.]

[8 by reason tongue, the translator's addition.]
"
[9 cordium inspectore, Lat. ; who looketh at the heart. who" " man,
is the translator's
paraphrase.]
[10in Deum intenti non simus, Lat.] [!"cum, Lat.]
V2 THE FOURTH DECADE.
[sERM.
[vsah li. 1, doth prayi saying : "Have
mercy upon me, 0 God, according
to the greatness For I aclcnowledge my
of thy mercy. sins,
and my sin is ever before me. To thee alone have I sinned,
and done evil in thy sight." And so forth. And in another
^psai.
xxxii. Psalm: "I have made my fault known unto thee, and mine
unrighteousness have I not hid. I said, I will confess mine
unrighteousness unto thee^ against myself 3, and thou hast
forgiven the wickedness of my sin." In the
gospel the Lord
teacheth to pray, and in prayer to confess and say : "Forgive
us our debts, as we forgive
And, when wê our debtors."
pray so^ he biddeth into us to

go aside our
chamber, that
our heart and the devotion of our hearts
may there appear
unto our heavenly Father alone. The doth in
prodigal son
the field,where
but swine alone were to be seen,
none
vately
pri-
both make
and offer the confession of his sin unto his
father 5. And that publican in the gospel,
which is compared
with the Pharisee, knocketh his breast, and with a lamentable
yQjge Jqî^ tQ himself confess and say, "Lord, be merciful to
^Lukexviii.
me a sinner." Let
also hear John, the holy apostle
us now
and evangelist, comprehending all that may be truly spoken

n^johni. 8,
touching this confession in this one saying: "If we say that
have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is
we
not in
If we confess our sins, God is faithful
us.
and justto forgive
us our sins, and to cleanse all iniquity." With this
us from
private confession, which is made to God, is that voluntary
confession always joined that is made before men. For peni-
tents
are humbled so
often as the matter, the glory of God,
and safeguard of our neighbour requireth, and do before
"^
men openly testify that they have sinned unto God. For so
David, when Nathan the prophet told him of his sin, cried
[2Sam. xii. out, saying: I have sinned to the Lord."
"
So also Zacheus,
[Lukexix.] understanding that the Lord was upbraided for receivino"
him^ doth openly confess his sin, and promise amendment.
[}et confttetur, Lat. ; and confess.]

[2 Domino, Lat. ,: unto the Lord.]
[3 confitebor advcrsus me, Lat.; accuse
myself. Coverdale, 1535;
and see Ainsworth in loc]
[4 confitentesquc, Lat. ; and

confess.]
[5 Rather, Among the swine frames the confession of his
sin, and
offers it to his father alone. Luke xv.]
["5etiam testantur, Lat. ; also testify.]
[7 for receiving him, added by the translator.]
11.]
We
verllv
tl
do publicly
i. make confession to God so as
u
our Pubiicor
open con-
I told you a littleabove ; but so much the rather yet, when fes.ion.
after the hearing of the word of truth we do after that public

in some
or solemn manner, either in the church, or otherwise
^,
congregation or holy assembly recite our sins committed, and
Truly, of old
cry to God for mercy and pardon of the same.
the Lord appointed in our forefathers' days, that, the priest Levu. xvi.
for the purpose, the

going before in words premeditated
whole people should follow him word for word, and openly
confess their sins in the temple^. Whereupon undoubtedly it
is at this day received in the church of the Christians, that, the
in words
pastor or doctor of the church going before con-
ceived,
at the end of the exposition of the scriptures'", before
the assembly is dismissed, all the people should openly in the
temple confess all their sins against God, and heartily desire
to forgive them The
him of his mercy the same''. public
are notably known, which were
made
confessions of sins
by Daniel, Esdras, and Nehemias. And I say plainly '^ that
in his
that public confession of sins, which St Matthew
was a
third chapter saith that the Jews did make : for all Jewry
came out to John the forerunner of the Lord, "and were tized
bap-
in Jordan, confessing their sins." For when they
of him
did publicly receive baptism, then did they thereby declare
is the sign of the
and openly confess their sins. For baptism
baptized confess
cleansing of sins : therefore they that are
that they are sinners. They that were not baptized thought
[8 or holy not in Lat. coram hominibus, Lat. omitted;

assembly, "
before
men.]
[9 See above, pages 1G5, 197.]
[10 et paulo antequam, Lat. ; and a little before.]
[11The divines of Cologne, in the Enchiridion appended to the

having Bullinger
canons of their provincial Council, 1538, referred, as
here, to Nehemiah iv. and ix., also observe: Ilinc finita concione,
generalem et publicam confessionem ad populum pronuntiat (sacerdos)

ac raonet, ut se pronuntiantem populus eisdem verbis proseqnatur.
fol. 140. " In the reformed churches the general confession of the
minister and people was ordinarily placed at the opening of public

Durel's View of the Government, "c. in Reformed Churches
worship.
beyond the seas, p. 35. Lend. 1662. Sect. i. " 38. But see The
Order of the Church in Denmark, "c. Works of Bp. Coverdale, ed.

Park. Soc. p. 472.]
[12interpreter, Lat.]
themselves to be otherwise purged, and that they need ' not

Actsxix. any sanctification. The Ephesians did publicly confess their
sins, when, gathering their books of witchcraft together, they
burned them in the fire: for by the burning of those books
they did confess, that they had committed wickedness that
was to be purged with fire.
^^^ *^^" coufessiou that is made to our neighbour is of
thT/^'m"a"e
to our
neigh-
thjs sort Thou hast
:
offended thy brother^, or else he perhaps
hath done thee injury, for which ye are at discord, and do
hate one another : in this case verily ye must think of recon-
ciliation.
Let the one therefore go to the other, and confess,
and ask pardon for the fault committed ; and let him that is
innocent in the matter^ freely forgive him that confesseth his
fault,and so become his friend again. Of this confession the
[James v.
apostlo Jamcs Confess your faults one
"
spake, saying : to
another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed."

And^ our Lord and Saviour did before James teach us, say-
matt. V. 23, ing :
"
If thou offerest thy gift at the altar" (forhe speaketh
to those among whom at that time the sacrificesof the law
were yet in "and dost remember
use), there that thy brother
hath any thing against thee, leave there thy gift before the
altar, and go thy ways ; first be reconciled to thy brother,
and then thou mayest come and offer thy gift." To this also
doth belong that parable, which the Lord putteth forth and
expoundeth in the eighteenth chapter after St Matthew,
of
him that was cast into perpetual prison, because, when he had
found favour at his Lord's hand, he was over cruel upon his
fellow-servant, to whom he would not forgive so much as a
farthing. For in the sixth chapter after St Matthew the
Lord saith :
"
If ye forgive men their tre~spasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not
men their trespasses, no more will your Father^ forgive you
your trespasses." Not that for our forgiving of others our
sins are forgiven us ; for so the forgiveness of our sins
should not be free, but should come by our merits and as a
recompence of our deserts : but now when our sins are
freely forgiven through faith, verily that unreconcileable and
[1 needed, ed. 1577.] [- proximum, Lat. ;

neighbour.]
[3 that is innocent in the matter, not in Lat.]
[4 Quia, Lat. ; Because.]
[5 pater ccelestis,Lat. Matth. vi. 14, 15.]
II.]
hard heart is that there is no faith
an assured argument
in hard, stubborn, and unappeasable
a man. But where
there is no faith, there is no remission. Tlierefore volun-
tary
forgiveness in a man towards his neighbour is not that^
for which we are forgiven of God our Father, but is an
evident sign and natural fruit of true faith and the grace of
God in us^
To these two kinds of confession some men add that consultation.
whereby they, that are oppressed in conscience with any

grievous sin, doth^ consult or ask counsel either of the pastor
of the Lord's flock, or else of some other that is expert and
skilfulin the laws^ of God. But that is rather to be termed
a consultation than a confession ; and it is in no place either
commanded or forbidden, and therefore left free at every
man's choice. ought to be compelled to
Wherefore no man
this consultation. But ifany brother do demand counsel either

of the minister of the church, or of any other private brother,
then charity commandeth thee to satisfy him, if so be that
thou canst. Yea, if he demandeth not, and thou dost see thy
brother to be in danger, charity again commandeth thee to
admonish him that is so in danger, and to handle him as
a brother. For Paul to the Galatians saith : Brethren, if a "

[Oai. vi. i,
man be prevented in any fault,ye which are spiritual restore

such an in the spirit of meekness, considering theeself
one
lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burden,

and so fulfilthe law of Christ." But this belongeth nothing
to confession ; therefore we return to our purpose again.
Thus much have we hitherto said touching the confession confessions
o
of sins or-
of sins which God hath instituted. Now we will annex some-

'^^11^'^"^
what touching the confession of sins that men have ordained.
That confession also is of two sorts: the one is public, ritual or
ceremonial, which for the most part they call'EôjuoXdyticns Exhomoio- ',
the other is private or secret, and is called auricular.

I call the public confession ritual,not so much because it
is the acknowledging or confession of sin, as for that it is the
penitentialaction for the sin committed. For Isidore the bishop,
Libro Etymol.'*' vi.
cap. 18, saith: Exhomologesis "is the
[6 is not that but, the translator's addition.]

"
[" within us, ed. 1577.] P do, ed. 1577.]

[9 law, ed. 1577. legis, Lat.]
[10Hispalen. Episcopus, Lat. : Bishop of Seville, a.d. 595.]
disciplineof prostrating and humbling men in habit, in living,

to He in sack and ashos, to deface the body with filth, to
mourn and lament with a sorrowful mind, and through sorrow
to amend that wherein they sinned before ^" These words
dearly
of bishop Isidore I would not have recited unto you,
beloved, who is an author not very famous, unless I had seen
be read in the book
the same words in a manner to which
Tertullian wrote of repentance 2; and unless I had found an
fifthbook and last
example thereof in Euscbius, who in the
NataHs "
I find him chapter of his Ecclesiastical History saith : the
length understanding
clneTNlta- martyr, being seduced by heretics,and at
his error, riseth up in the morning, and putting on a sack-
cloth,
himself tears
sprinkling with ashes, and with many
feet of
bewaihng his error, casting himself prostrate at the
Zephyrinus the bishop and all other, not clerks only, but
laymen also, with great lamentation and exceeding sorrow
provoked all the congregation with earnest and continual
his
prayers to request of Christ Jesus to pardon offence^"
Touching the rites of repentance I will hereafter speak.
Xow this ritual or ceremonial repentance, as it was used
to have been commanded
among them of old, appeareth not
of God, that whosoever at this day committeth any sin
should be compelled presently to confess^ it openly in such
et humiliandi hominis disciplina est

[1Exomologesis prosteniendi
habitu, atque victu ; sacco et cineri incubare ; corpus sordibus obscu-
rare; animum mceroribus dejicere;ilia,quse peccavit, tristitractatione

Isidor. 0pp. Etymolog. Lib. vi. cap. 19. " 79. Tom. in. p. 292.
mutare."
Rom. 1798.]
[2 Tertulliani 0pp. dc Pcenit. cap. 9. Tom. iv. p. 52. ed. Semler.
Hal. Mag. 1824.]
[3 Confessor quidam apud nos, Natalis (NardXiosGr. ed.
erat
Burton) nomine Hie, deceptus aliquando ab Asclepiodoto quodam

et Theodoto collectariis, adquievit ut episcopus illius hseresis
Ad ultimum a Sanctis angelis per totam noctem ver-
nominarctur. ...
beratus, ....
mane consm-gcns, cilicio se induit, et cinere conspergit,
ac multis lacrymis errorem suum deflens, ante pedes se Zepbyrini
episcopi prosternit, et vestigiis omnium,
non modo clericorum, sed
laicorum, cum lamentatione provolutus, in laerj-mas et
etiam multa
omnem provocavit ecclesiam, ut indulgentiam sibi a
miserationcs
Christo continuis et jugibus pro ipso precibus implorarent. Euseb. "
Eccles. Hist. Lib. v. cap. 28. Ruffinus' translation, Avhich Bullinger
adopts. Basil. 1539. p. 126.]

["*pcenitcrc, Lat]
OF RETENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 77
II.]
sort as they were wont to do it. For where is it read that

such penance was enjoined to the sinful or adulterous woman T"i,evn.
^"''
that is mentioned in the gospel ? Many other sinners are "'"''"
received by Christ into the grace of God without such out-

ward
penance. it is For
very well known how Christ dealt
with Matthew, with Zacheus, with Peter that denied him, and
with many other. Therefore we do not amiss ^ believe that
the old bishops and priests did invent that public kind of
penance for discipline's sake, and that they of their times

might have less liberty to sin. Truly Hermius" Sozomenus
Salaminius, that notable writer of the EcclesiasticalHistory, in
his seventh book and sixteenth chapter saith : In the begin-
ning "
it pleased the priests, that as it were in a theatre, where
all the congregation might bear record of the same, the sins
of offenders should be openly punished." Lo here, he saith,
"
It pleased the priests." He addeth also, that there was
a priest appointed, to whom they that sinned should come and An eWer.
confess their sins, and should hear of him

the penance, to wit,
what they should do, or how they should aby ^ for their trans-
gression.
Immediately after he describeth the manner of
penance in the Romish church used. And to that again he
addeth, that in the church

"
at Constantinople there was a
priest appointed to hear penitents ; which officeremained still,

tillat the length a certain gentlewoman, which for the sins
that she had confessed by
such a penitentiary to
was
enjoined
fast,and to pray to God, and thereby having occasion to be
long in the church, was at last bewrayed to have played the
whore with a deacon : for which cause the priests were evil
spoken of. But Nectareus the bishop, devising how it were
best to deal with such a grievous crime, deprived the deacon,
that had done the sin, of his deaconship. And for because
some persuaded them^ to leave it free to every one, according
to his own conscience and confidence, to come to the commu-
nion
of the mysteries, he did quite take away the officeof that
penitentiary priesthood : and ever
since that time hath that
counsel given to Nectareus prevailed, and doth even to this
day endure." And so forth. The same in the beginning
of
the chapter saith : Nectareus, "
the bishop of Constantinople,
did firsttake out of the church the priest that was appointed
[5 non temere, Lat.] [6 Hermias.]
[' quid luenrlum, Lat.] [e him, ed. 1577.]
78 THE FOURTH DECADE. fsERM.
to hear
the confession of penitents, whom all the other
bishops (lidin a manner foliow^" Thus far he.
the bishop Xectarcus would not have abrogated
But that
Exhomologesis, (beingso holy a man as indeed he if
was,)
he had understood that it had been instituted by God self:
him-
neither had it been lawful for him to have abrogated

it. Therefore he knew, even as Sozomen doth also confess,
that by the counsel of the bishops that order of penance
was
usurped in the church. Keither do we read that John
Chrysostom, succeeded Nectareus^ and was
who a very di-
ligent
and severe bishop, did ever restore that ritual penance
which his predecessor had abrogated before him. For in

John Chry- the thirty-firsthomily upon St Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews
sostom's
doctrine he writeth :
"
I bid thee not to bewray theeself openly, nor
concerning
confession.
yet to accuse thyself to others ; but I will have thee to obey
the holy prophet, who saith, Open thy way unto the Lord.
Therefore confess thy sins before God, the true and upright
Judge, with prayers for the injury committed^ : not with thy
tongue, but with the memory of thy conscience. And then
at length believe that thou mayest obtain mercy, if thou
hast it^ in thy mind continually^." And so forth. Again
[1'Ev TOVTOi Se Tov

"7rl raiv fj.erauoovi'Tcov rerayjiivov irpea^vrepov
6 rrjv NeKrapios,
ovKiTi
uvvf^'^PV^^'^ eivai TTpmros eKKkrja'iavKavaravri-
8i Sov ot
7ravTa)(0v inlcrKonoi,
vovTToXfcos fTTirpoTrevciiveTT7]KoXov6r](Tav "T;ê . .
(bopriKov, (OS (Ikus, ($ opx^s rols Upevaiv edo^fv, cos iv deoTpco vtto paprvpt
tory
His-
eâyyeXXetv (The
Tripartite
ra
nX'qBei TrjseKKXrjaias Tcis apaprias
gives these words of Sozomen, as Bullinger also,
" but inccrrectly "
propterea visum antiquis pontificibus,

est ut velut in theatre sub
testimonio ecclesiastici populi delicta 8e
pandantur.)Trpea-^vrepov rav
re
apiara TtoKirevopevav eêpvdov Koi eVi tovto
efj.(f)pova, Tfraâcriv, "o
br) TrpoaiovTfs ra [3eî(opeua

cofiokoyovv 6 be, npos rfjv
ol yjpaprrjKoTes
o ri
*j iTTiTifiiovde\s, OTreXue
eKaarov apapriav, xpi] Troirja-ateKTiaai
TaSe pev ap^rjBev Pcopaicov Upels a^pi Kol eis r^pas CJivXavTovaiv.
ot Ev
be TTj 'K.mvaTavTLVovTTokei eKKXrjcrla, "c. Sozomen. Ilist.Eccles. Lib.

"
VII.
cap. 16, pp. 299, 300. ed. Reading. Cantab. 1720. Tom. ii. See also
Works of Bp. Pilkington. ed. Parker Soc. p. 553.]
[2 Socratis Hist. Eccles. Lib. vi. cap. 2. Sozomen. Hist. Eccles.
Lib. cap. 2.]
viii.
[3 Bullinger has here read, delicta ^^ro for delicta pronttncia,

injuna,
as this passage is quoted, Lombard. Sentent. Lib. iv. distinct. 17.
c]
[* it, wanting in ed. 1587.]
[5 oil Xeyco aoi, eKiropnevaov cravTov, ovbe Tvapa rots aWois KaTrjyo-
rw XeyovTt, 'AiroKaXv\j/oi"
npos
prjcrov,akXa Treidecrdaia-vpôvXevai 7rpo(j})]TT]
II.] OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 79
upon the fiftiethPsalm :

"
If thou art ashamed to telltliy
sins to any man thou hast sinned, yet say them daily
because
in thine own heart; I bid thee not confess them to thy fellow,
that he should upbraid thee : tell them to thy God who doth
regard them. If thou tellest them not, God is not ignorant

of them ; for he was at hand when thou didst them^." And
again in another place he saith : I bring forth

"
thee not
into the theatre of thy companions : I compel thee not to
discover thy sins unto mortal men. Rehearse thy conscience
before God, and declare it unto him. Shew thy wounds
unto the Lord, thy best physician, and ask of him a salve
for the same''." Again :
"
Take heed that thou tell not a
man of thy sins, lest he bewray thee and upbraid thee for
them. For thou needcst not to confess them to thy com-
panion,
that he should bring them abroad, but to the Lord
which hath the care of thee, who also is a gentle physician :
to him therefore thou shalt shew thy wounds^."" Moreover

he bringeth in the Lord speaking and saying : "
I compel
thee not to into the open theatre, and to make
come
many
privy to thy sins tell thy sin privately
: to me alone, that I
may heal thy sore^." Thus much out of Chrysostom. Now
all this doth manifestly argue, that that ceremonial penance

(asit was once used in the not instituted by God, church),
Kvpiov Tt]v 686u aov. Etti tov Qeov ravra
oyioKoyrjcrov, iin rov diKaarov
ojXoXoyei ra
a/xapTTjiiaTa, eiiôtxevos, et Koi fxi) dXXa
rrjykaTrrj, rfjnvrjfxrj,
Kai ovrus Au hirjViKms iv
aîov fXirjdfjvai. exH^ '''âp.apTrjp,aTa rrjfxvrjjxrj,
"c. "Chrysost. Horn. sxxi. in Ep. ad Hebr. cap. 12, Tom. xii. pp.
289, 290. Par.

1718"38.]
[6 'AAV alcrxyvrj elne'ivStoVt rjfiapres ; Xeye aira Kad" rjpepav iv tj]
(TOV. Kai r'l ; Xeyco ra ra ae "
evxjj pi)yap elne avv8ov\co ovuhiôvTL

enre ru "fw tco depanevovri avrw eav avra 6
oii yap, pr] ayvoel
f'iirijs,
Qeos. Mi) yap aov [dovXeraiavra
napa padflif; ore ewparres avra, Traprjv.
" Id. Horn, in Psal. l. Tom. v. p. 589. But this treatise is
spm-ious.]
yap els Searpov ere ayo)
['Ôv8e rcoi'
crvvbovKuiv rcov crwv
ovê eKKa-
Xv\l/-ut
ro7s di/$pa)TroisdvayKa^co ra dpaprijpara.To dvanrvôv
crvveidos
e'nTi'pocrOev Ka\ rov Qeov, avra Belôvra rpavpara, Ka\ Trap' avrov ra
cjyap-
fxuKa a'ir-qaov. Id. de Incomprehens.
"
DeiNat. Horn. v. Tom. i. p. 490.]
[8 Mij yap avdpana Xeyen,
avv8ov\a" opoXo- iva ae
oveidicrr] ; pfj yap
yets, iva e"iroptrevayj KrjSepoi'i, ; ra beaTvorrj,ra
ra tarpa ra
(piXavOpccnroj,
TO rpavpa e'lriSeiKvveis. Chi'ysost. Cone, de Lazaro. IV. Tom.
"
i. p. 757.]
[^ OiiicdpayKaâ, (f)T]a\v, els peaov iXdelv ae Bearpov,

Ka\ pdprvpas
nepiartjaai, noXXovs' epol to apaprrjpa elne pova Kar Idlav, Iva depairevaa
TO cXkos. "
Ibid. p. 758. See also Calvin. Instit. Lib. in. cap. 4. "8.]
was without any injurytaken out of the church, and not^

restored the
again by bishops that succeeded. They do
not altogether in vain tell us that some relics of that ritual
repentance abided still in the Roman church^. But what
have we to do what every church hath taken to itself,either
to keep or else to lay away ? We rather ought to inquire,
what Christ hath delivered unto us, what his apostles
and
have taught us ; of whose doctrine I have, I think, spoken
enough already.
Of auricular The private or
confession of sins was
secret wont to be
made when none were by but the priests alone. For one
goetli secretly, and whispereth his sins in the ear of the

priest that was appointed to hear those secret confessions ;
and, being by him absolved, doth think that by the recital
of a few ordinary words he is purged from all his sins :
and therefore I call it auricular confession. This was un-

known
in the apostles' times ; and although it be now a
good
sort of years ago since it firsttook root, yet notwithstanding
it was free from the beo-innino;. At last we read that it
was
commanded and roughly extorted by the bishop of Rome,
when the state of the church was most corrupted, about the
year of grace 1215. And yet it was about eighty years
or more in controversy, before it was by decree laid upon
whether it were enough for a man

"
all men's necks, to con-
fess
himself to God alone, or else to a priest also, for the
purging of his sins ?" Hugo in his book of the church's

power to bind and loose doth say :
"
I dare boldly say, if
before the priest'sabsolution any man do come to the com-
munion
of the body and blood of the Lord, that he doth
assuredly eat and his own drink although he damnation,
repent him never so much, and doth never so greatly lament

his offences"." This did Hugo say boldly without his warrant,
[1 nequc mox, Lat.]

[" Credimus hanc nuiiquam penitus abolitam fuisse,
"
confessionera
non solum in Romana, sed ne in Graeca quidam ecclesia. Enchirid. "
Colon, fol. 145.]

[3 Audacter dice, si ante sacerdotis absolutionom ad conimunionem
corporis et sanguinis Christi accesserit, judicium sibi pro certo man-
ducat ct bibit, ctsi cum peccassc jam nuiltum pcenitcat, et vehementer
doleat et ingemiscat. " Ricardi Sancti Victor. Scoti 0pp. Colon. Agrip.
1621. Tract, do Potest. Ligandi ct Solvcndi. cap. xxi. p. 519. par. i.
"
He died abbot of St Victor, a.d. 1173. Gall. Christ. Tom. vii. p. 669.
OF KEPENTAN'CE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 81
II.]
unless the word of God doth instruct us falsely. IIo lived

about tlie year of our Lord 1130. AN'ithin a little while
after him upstarted Peter Lombard, commonly called the

Master of Sentences, because he gathered together the sen-
tences
of the fathers, and laid forth their doctrine as it were
in a summary : of whose work I mean not here to tell my
judgmentwhat I think. It is thought that he flourished about

the year of Christ 1150'*. He, Sententiarum, Lib. iv. Dist.
17, and 18, doth by the authority of the fathers shew, first,
that it sufficeth to make the confession of sins to God alone :
then he annexeth other sentences which teach the contrary ;
himself and saith : " By these it is
and lastly concludeth of
undoubtedly proved, that we must ofter
our confession firstto
God, then to the priest, and that otherwise we cannot enter
into paradise, if we may (have priest)."
a Again :
"
It is cer-
tified
that it is not sufficientto confess to God without a
is he truly humble and penitent, that doth not
priest ; neither
desire the judgmentof a priest^" Gratian, that gathered the
decretals together*',was somewhat honester than Peter Lom-
bard,
who lived and flourished at the same time with Lom-

bard.
He determineth nothing definitively; but shewing sen-
tences
for either side, both that we must confess our sins to
the priest and not confess them, doth leave it indifferently
unto the reader's judgment.
For thus he concludeth : " Upon
Watt's Biblioth. Brit. Mosheim, Eccles. Hist. Vol.

p. 439. ed. ii.
Soames, note T."

Hugo of St Victor, whom BuUinger names by take,
mis-
was born a,d. 1096, and died 1140. Mosheim, ibid, note 6.]
[} He died bishop of Paris, A. D. 1164. Mosheim, Eccles. Hist. Book
" 23. ed. Soames. Vol. p. 440, note 2.]

HI. cent. 12. part ii. chap. 2. ii.
title of Sentent. Lib. iv. distinct. 17 c. is, Si sufficit soli

[5The
Deo confiteri ; and there Lombard says, Quibusdam visum est sufficere,
si soli Deo fiat confessio sine judicio sacerdotali et confessione ecclesise :
p. 340. But the title of the following section is, Quod non sufficit
Deo tempus adsit, si tamen homini possit ; and then
soli confiteri, si
by BuUinger: Ex his
Lombard concludes in the words quoted aliisquo
indubitanter ostenditur, oportere Deo primum, et deinde
pluribus
nee alitor posse perveniri ad ingressum
sacerdoti offerri eonfessionem,
paradisi, si adsit facultas ; p. 341 : and in the next section, e. p. 342,
Certificatum est, quod non sufficitconfiteri Deo sine sacerdote: ncQ
est vere humilis et poenitens, si non desiderat et requirit sacerdotis
judicium.]
[0 He completed his Decretum about a.d. 1151. Mosheim, Eccles.
Hist. Vol. II. p. 411, note 2.]
III. J
[bULLIN'GER,
what authority and reasons both the opinions of confession
and satisfactionare grounded, we have briefly here declared.

But to which of these we ought rather to stick, that is
have wise
reserved for the reader to choose ; for both parts
to their fautors and defenders'." Thus
and religious men
saith Gratian about the end of the first distinctionof pe-
nance.
A law made, About fifty years after followed Lotharius Levita^, a

wherein au-
ricular
con-
fession doctor of Paris, the scholar^ and earnest follower of Peter
was
He, being once made bishop of Rome

first com-
manded. Lombard. and named
Innocent the Third, called together at Rome a general council
called Lateranense^, in which he made a law, which Gregory

the Ninth reciteth in his decretal of penance and remission.
The Latin Lib V. chap. 12, almost in these very words : " Let every
copy hath,
semel in to the years of
an) mo : person of either sex, after they are come
falsely I
discretion,faithfullyconfess alone, at least once in a year, their
think for
temel in
anno^. sins unto their own proper priest, and do their endeavour
with their own strength to do the penance that is enjoined
them ; receiving reverently at Easter at the least the sacra-
ment
of the Eucharist, unless peradventure by the counsel of

their own priest,for some reasonable cause, they think it good
for a time to abstain from receiving it. Otherwise in this
lifelet them be prohibited to enter into the church ; and when
they arc dead, to be buried in christian burial*'."
This is that new law which containeth many absurd and
[1 Quibus auctoritatibus vel quibus rationum firmamentis utraque

sententia confessionis et satisfactionis innitatur, in medium breviter
exposuimus. Cui autem harum potius adhajrendum sit,lectoris judicio

reservatm'. Utraque enim fautores habet sapientes et religiosos viros.
" Gratian. Decret. pars ii. caus. 33. qurest. 3. de Poenitent. dist. 1.
cap. 89. ad fin.]

Conti, born in a.d. IIGO or 1161, studied in the uni-
[2 Lothaire versity
of Paris, and was elected pope a.d, 1198. Mosheim, Vol. ii.
p. 508, note 7. Lotbarius Lovita, or tbe Deacon, was tbo name under
wbicb bo wrote before he became pope. Centur. Magd. cent. xii.
Watt's Bibliotb. Brit.]
[3 the scholar, not in Lat.]
[4 The Fourth Lateran, called by the Romanists the Twelfth
General Council, was held a.d. 1215. Mosheim, Eccles. Hist. Book iii.
cent. 13. part 2. chap. 3. " 2. Vol. ii. p. 559. n. 2.]
[5 This error is corrected in the London reprint by II. Midleton. P.]

[c Omnis utriusque sexus fidelis, postquam ad annos discretionis
pervenerit, omnia sua solus peccata confiteatur fidelitcrsaltem semel

II.
J
OF REPENTANCE, AM" THE CAUSES THEREOF. 83
"wicked blasphemies. And, to let pass very many of their

I
absurdities, will recite unto you not past one or twain of the
foulest of them. Is it not a wicked thing, to send a sinner to
I wot not what kind of priest of his own, when Christ hath
given but ministers and preachers to his church only, being still
himself the universal priest,and proper priest to every one in
the church, even until the end of the world ; to whom alone
all the faithfulministers do send sinners from themselves for to
confess their sins to him ? For John said : I am not Christ,iJohn
"
lu.
28 1
but before him to bear record of him."
am sent What may
be said to this moreover, that it is a detestable blasphemy to
attribute the remission of sins to our own confession and the
priest'sabsolution,as to the works of mortal men ? And who, I
pray you, is able to reckon up all his sins unto the priest?
Doth not Jeremy cry, The heart of man "
is evil and un- [Jer.xvu. g.j
searchable?"" Doth
say, "Who David
his [Psai.xu.
not knoweth
sins ? Cleanse me from my hidden faults." It is unpossible
for a man to confess all his sins. While therefore a man,
compelled by the law, doth consider these reasons and ponder

them in himself, he cannot choose but must needs be drowned
in the bottomless depth of desperation ; so
great a burden is
laid upon the free necks of Christ his faithful people, as a
thing so necessary that without it they cannot obtain eternal
salvation, directly contrary to the apostles'* decree that is to
be seen in the fifteenth of the Acts. And lastly,what, I
pray
you, is a sinner able to do of his own
strength ? What power,
I pray you, have we
sillywretches'^ of ourselves to do good ?
But it grieveth
and I am ashamed of these men's
me, Auricular
impudencv, to see that they will have this their auricular be '""
*'
_
, , , proved by
confession to be instituted of God, and that they go about to
-JfJJlX
uphold and confirm it by the scriptures; guilefully wresting
^ scripture.
in anno proprio sacerdoti ; et injunctamsibi pcenitentiam studeat pro

viribus adimplere : suscipiens reverenter ad minus in Pascba eucha-
ristise sacramentum ; nisi forte de consilio proprii sacerdotis, ob
aliquara ad tempus
rationabilem ab ejusperceptione duxerit
causam,
abstinendiim :
alioquin, et vivens ab ingressu ecclesiee arceatur, et
moriens Christiana careat sepultura. Concil. Lateran. iv. in Concil. "
stud. Labb. et Coss. Tom. xi. par. 1. coll. 172, 3. Lutet. Par. 1G71.
See also Decret. Gregor. ix. Lib. v. tit. 38. fol. 314. col. 4. Lugd.
1510.]
[7 silly(weak) wretches, not in Lat.]
[8 proferunt, Lat. ; guilefully wresting, the translator's paraphrase.]
6"2
that place in the gospel where the Lord saith to the leper,
[Matt.viii. "
Go thy way, shew thyself to the priest." Now they do
not impudently wrest this place alone, contrary to the true
sense ; but do also corrupt all the other testimonies of holy
scriptures which they arc wont to cite. Among all the rest
I will tellyou of this one. Bonavcntura, in his Commentaries,
Ad Sententias Magistri, Dist. xvii.
Lib. iv. Quajst.3, ima-
gineth two things to be in confession : the one formal, to
wit, absolution, or the power to heal ; and this he saith was
instituted by the Lord at the giving of the keys : the other
is material, to wit, the disclosingof the sin ; and this he saith
that the Lord himself did not institute,but only insinuate.
For immediately after he addeth these words : And there-
fore
"
confession was insinuated by the Lord, instituted by the

apostles, and openly proclaimed by James the bishop of
Hierusalem. For as he proclaimed the decree of not keeping
the ceremonial laws. Acts xv. ; so also he published and
laid upon all them that sin the necessity of confession.
Baying, Confess your sins one to another." Thus much hath
Bonaventura^ But who will not wonder at the blindness
of
that age? This writer acknowledgeth that auricular confession
was not instituted by but obscurely 2, and as it
the Lord,
were by of the consequents^; that the apostles
conjectures
expounded the mind of Christ and instituted it; and that St
James in the name of all the apostles did by a decree openly
proclaim it. He addeth, that the words of the proclamation
were,
"
Confess your sins one to another." Now what is it
else to wrest the scriptures, if this be not to wrest them ?
Even he that is the blindest doth easily see, that these cham-
\}Diccndum quod duo sunt in confessione : unura formale et com-
pletivum; et hoc est absolutio, sive potestas absolvendi vel medicandi;

et hanc Dominus instituit, qui potestatem clavium concessit ; et penes
hos residet virtus. Aliud autem est materiale ; et hoc est detectio pec-
cati sive morbi : et hoc Dominus non instituitin se, sed insinuavit. . . .
Et ideo confessio fuit a Domino insinuata, ah apostolis instituta, ab
episcopo Ilierosolymitano, scilicet Jacobo, promulgata: sicut enim

sententia do non sorvandis legalibus promulgata (Actor, fuit, sic
xv.)
et confessio omnibus peccantibus indicta et imposita fuit, Confitemini
alterutrum peccata vestra. " Bonavent. 0pp. Sent. Lib. iv. dist. 17.
qusest. 1. par. 2. art. 1. qusest. 3. Tom. v. p. 224. Mogunt. 1609.]
[2 implicite, Lat.]
[3 ex quadam consequentia, Lat.]
OF UEPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 85
II.]
pions arc
unweaponcd in this combat*, bringing forth a
same
hav which they shake and

"',
spear made of a wrapt-up wisp of
keep a coil as if it were the lancc-staff of Hector or
with^
Achilles. It is most evident that the apostle speaketh not of
secret and auricular confession, but of that confession which
by a certain reciprocation is made of thera that have mutually
offended one another ; and now again, freely confessing their-

selves one to another, are mutually reconciled, and pray one
for another again : of which I have said somewhat already
a little before. They do not see that in the apostle's words
there are two things, which being diligently considered do make
For
them mere mocking-stocks to them that perceive them.
firstthe apostle in that place useth this word dWjjXov^, which
for one, and as it were
signifieth mutually, one another, one
If according to the
reciprocally. Thereupon we infer thus :
precept we must confess ourselves one to another, and
apostle''s
that dXX^Xov^ doth signify mutually or reciprocally, that is,
that we must confess ourselves by turns, as itwere firstI to him
and then he to me, as it signifiethso in very deed ; then must it

needs be, that after the laymen have confessed themselves to the
priests, the priests should again confess themselves unto the
laymen ; for that confession one to another : for
is to make
we say, (piXovaivdXXrjXovs,that is, they love one another
he him and he him again. But if this trouble the
mutually,
laymen^; let them
priests^ to have their confessions heard of
then acknowledge that this place of the apostle doth make
nothing for their secret and auricular confession, which they
have devised for their own commodity. Then the apostle
"
And pray ye one for another, that ye may be
addeth :
healed." He doth therefore associate, and as it were join
both confession and prayer. And upon that
under one yoke,
we do again gather, If we must confess to none but priests,
then must we pray for none but priests^. But we must not
pray for priests alone ; eiyo, we must not confess to priests
["*
inermcs in hac palaestra, Lat.]
P telum hujusmodi,non fraxineum, sed prorsus betaceum : made

of beet.]
[6 coil : noise, tumult, difficulty. Narcs' Gloss.]
[7 presbyteris, Lat.]
[8 to have laymen,
"
the translator's addition.]
P This argument is also Calvin's, Instit. Lib. in. cap. 4. " 6.]
86 THE FOURTH DECADB. [SERM.
alone, but every one one to another. The same place of St

James must not be understood of secret and auricular con-
fession,
but of that open or public confession by which they
return into charity again by the mutual confession of their
faults, which had before offended each other with mutual
injuries
; and, again reconciled,do pray one
being now for
another that they may be saved. We do therefore leave this

for an undoubted truth, that the disputers for auricular con-
fession
neither have proved, nor can
prove, that it was tuted
insti-
and ordained of God.
Whether But when they see that this their confession will to
auricular
confession
to be wrack
^,
they go about with weak props, God wot 2, to stay it
ought
received in
the church up, and say that that confession is to be retained stillin the
for disci-
pline's
church, if it were for nothing else but for discipline'ssake,
sake
to make men blush when their sins come to light ; which is
a many times that men

cause do sin the seldomer. And also
they say, that it is to be retained for private absolution and
peculiar or singular consolation of the godly. But if auri-
cular
confession be so needful and profitable for the church
as they will seem to have it,how
it that the church chanced
^
for the space of a thousand years after the apostles'times
was utterly without it? It is marvel then that the apostles
did in no place either use it or command it. And again, it is
manifest that the times which were before the coming of

Christ did not once so much as dream of this confession :
neither did the apostles leave the church of God destitute of

anything necessary unto salvation. Now what disciphne this
auricular confession, planted in the church of God, is, the
abominable deeds and wicked acts that ensued it do plainly
declare. For both he that doth confess, and he that heard
the confession, learned horrible wickedness even by the ex-
aminatio
and beating out the circumstances of sins committed.
By that means there were given and taken causes and occa-
sions
of whoredoms and adulteries. Under the pretence of
those confessions the chastity of matrons and virgins hath been
assaulted, and also corrupted, oftener times and more sundry
ways than^ is decent to be named. Those confessors fished
[1 wi*ack ; I'uin,destruction. Johnson.]

[2 quibusdam, Lat. ; God wot, the translator's phrase]
[3 amplius mille, Lat. ; more than a thousand.]
["*quam prosit aut, Lat. ; than it is expedient or.]
II.]
out the secrets of every conscience : which thing availed
man's
greatly to the establishing of their tyranny. By those con-

fessions
the confessors could cunningly spoil and rob their
shrift-children, as they called them, of their goods and sub-
stance
; because they knew what riches every one had, and
how he came by them. And when the peers of every com-
mon-wealth
knew that the priests were privy to their faults,
they could not choose but fear the priests: and so it came
to pass, that they did not so strongly as they might set
themselves against the extreme corruption and lust of the
priests, that was otherwise not to be suffered^. They have

been heard to say : " I have learned by confessions,and know
at my fingers' ends, what kind of men, of women, and of
maidens in this city. I know how
are to handle every one
according to his disposition. They do all fear and stand in

awe of me, because they know that I am privy to their most
secret deeds and
thoughts of their minds." The secrets told
in confession are many times foolishlybabbled abroad with
the peril of the silly soul that first confessed them. By the
means of confessions no small and many treasons are hatched
up and put in practice. And surely it is a goodly matter,

when we for the fear or carnal blushing that we have by the
means of one man (I mean, as some term him, of our ghostly
father^)we shall cease to sin, rather than for the sincere fear
that have of God ; when as in deed we do not blush at all

we
to think that he"^ shall be a witness against our conscience, nor

yet do fear the severity of his judgmentthat shall lighten
upon us. What may be said to this moreover, that by this
auricular confession, once established in the church, nothing

else is wrought, but that the word of God should be the less
regarded through our traditions, and we made the slacker to
confess sins to him, to whom
our of right we ought for to
confess them^? For so often as we remember our sins, we do
earnestly^ put them off again until the time of confession
come ; and when it is come, then who, I pray you, goeth to
it with cheerful mind ? Let wise men
a therefore judgewhat
kind of disciphne this is, and how well it please th God^".
[5 in populo Dei, Lat. omitted ; in the people of God.]

['^confessoris inquam, Lat.] l""Deum, Lat.]
[8 to whom them, the translator's
"
addition.]
[9 securi, Lat.; carelessly, 1577.]
p Cf. Works of Bp. Pilkington, Parker Soc. ed. p. 554. Remains
^^^lether That which they allege of private absolution is a mere

confession is dcvice of mau'^s invention, which hath not in the sacred scrip-
to be kept in
,,.,..,,.
church
^he turos any precept or example to back itseii withal. For in
^'^^^ dccd nono dotli absolvo us men from sin, blame, and
sake'c'r'n'ot
punishment ^ but God alone, to whom alone that glory doth

belong. minister, by the preaching and consolation of
The
the gospel, doth pronounce and testify that to the faithful
their sins are forgiven. Therefore this preaching of forgive-
ness,
being fetched from out of the mouth or word of God, is
the absolution wherewith the minister absolveth. Neither is
that absolution made any whit the more effectual,if the mi-
nister
do privately whisper it into the sinner'sear. The public
preaching of the gospel, as it is institutedby Christ our Lord,

doth satisfy a faithfulmind, which doth not so much respect
the demeanour of the minister, as he regardeth the truth
of him in whose name the minister doth it. But if a sinner,
say they, do hear privately said unto him, "I absolve thee
from thy sins,"and that by the virtue of the keys ; he doth far
better understand that his sins are remitted than when for-giveness
of sins is generally preached and publicly pronounced.
But we do in this case set against them the apostle'sexample ;
whom the men
when of Jerusalem had heard to preach, they
Men and brethren, what
"
[Acts ii.37- were pricked in heart, and said:
shall we do ? To whom Peter answered. Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Christ Jesus unto
the remission of your sins,"c. And there were added to the
church that same day about three thousand souls." Now
who understandeth not, that^ upon so great a multitude

baptism was at once bestowed, and the remission of sins
universally preached unto them all ; and that every one
not
had this saying or the like whispered severally into his ear,
'Brother, thy sins are forgiven thee?' verilyAnd a
godly-
man
may learn true faith in Jesus Christ
(through
minded
his sins are forgiven him) well
as by the public preach-
ing
which
of the gospel, as by the private whisperings of privy
penitentiaries and absolving confessors: namely^ since that
of Bp. Latimer, Vol. ii. p. 179. Foxe, Monuments, Vol. in. p. 205;
v. p. 191. Lond.
1S3S.]
[1 a poena et culpa, Lat.]
[2 simul, Lat. omitted ; at one and the same time.]
[3 prscsertim, Lat.]
OF IIEPENTAN'CE, AND THB CAUSES THEREOF. 89
II.]
public preaching doth contain the commandments of God*,

those whisperings do nothing so ; and finally,
"when as
doth apply to
since that the public preaching of the gospel
do testify
every one the grace of God, and that the sacraments
the remission of sins and the heavenly gifts prepared for all
them that do^ believe in Jesus Christ. And yet I say not
this because I think it amiss, when occasion scrveth so to do,
if the minister do preach privately to one or two the gospel of
our Lord, or else in the words of Christ do promise remission
I do here dispute against
of sins to him that believcth : but
them do suppose that public and general preaching, as
which
it was used of the apostles, declaring to all and every man''
the remission of sins, is not sufficient,except the sinner, going
to the priest, do confess his sins,and privately ask and receive
him for the same. For
private or peculiar absolution of
they think that, for that private absolution'ssake, this private
or auricular confession must be retained in the church.
But Avillnot, say they, that all and every peculiar sin
we
be reckoned up or re-
with the circumstances thereof should hearsed.
What of that then ? Who, I pray you, commanded
us to any sins at all into the priest'sear? The
whisper
to confess to the priests,neither
primitive church was wont
few nor many, nor any sins at all. Bonaventura recorded
that before pope Innocent the Third they were not counted
heretics which affirmed, that confession made to God alone,
without any priest, is sufficient to them that do faithfully
believe; but after the decree which he published, touching
confession to be made of every man unto his own priest, they

were judgedheretics that taught men to be confessed to God
only'^: as though it lay in pope Innocent to make a new
article of faith, which the church was without by more than

the space of twelve hundred years after Christ. There-
fore
if all they that lived before Innocent were without
[4 habeat prajceptum, Lat.]
[5 Kather, testify that remission of sins and heavenly gifts arc
theirs who do, "c.]

[6 fldelibus,Lat. omitted ; that believe, every several man, ed. 1577.]
[' Dicendum quod si quis esset mode hujus opinionis (i.e. quod
sufficiat si soli Deo fiat esset heereticus
confessio), judicandus,quoniam
in concilio generali hoc determinatum est sub Innocentio III. Sed
banc deterrainationem hoc non erat hseresis. " Boii.^vent. 0pp.
ante
Sentent. Lib. iv. par. 2. dub. 1. Tom. v. p. 220. Mogunt. 1609.]
suspicion of heresy in that point ; and since we read that

Nectarius and the church of Constantinople was not con-
demned
of heresy for abrogating and casting out of the
church their exhomologesis, which seemcth to be far better
than this auricular confession ; no man
undoubtedly
godly
shall condemn us, which maintain the confession instituted by
God, that is wont to be made to God and our neighbour, but
do only and hiss at that secret and auricular confession,
reject
as that which bringeth more discommodity than honest profit
to the church of God.
Of the satis- And for because I have
hitherto said thus much of secret
taction of
works. QY auricular confession, upon which the treatise of satisfaction
doth depend, I should here even of necessity say somewhat
had I not sufficientlyspoken of it in mine other
of satisfaction,
sermons of this work ; as in the sixth and ninth sermons of the
firstDecade, and in the third Decade, where I entreat of the
; in the tenth sermon
saints'affliction of the same Decade, and
also in the fourth Decade, where I spake of the gospel. The
priests and monks do teach that repentance of the sin committed,
and faith in Christ, are not sufficientfor the purging
of sins without the satisfactionof our own and merits^ ;

works
which they make to be, wearing of sackcloth, fasting, tears,
prayers, alms-deeds, ofi'erings, sundry afflictionsof the
body, pilgrimages, and many other odd knacks ^ like unto
Note here the these. For tliev affirm, that by these means penalty
it/
due to
difference . . .
^^'^^ ^^^^
S^^^^ whcrcof, they say, is only is washed
pardoned)
makeb^Vix
a-^s-y?as with a shower of water
poured upon it^ But
down
c^/"a^"c.
^""^ have
we already taught out of the canonical scriptures,that
God doth not only forgive freely the guilt, but also the
penalty of sins. We
our have already taught, that men are
by
not justified their own works and merits, but by the mere
grace of God through the faith of Christ Jesus : for wise
other-
he should in vain have taken our flesh upon him, and in
vain should Christ have given himself unto the most bitter and
reproachful death of the cross. Now we
add, If we are not
justifiedby works, then do we not with our works make
satisfactionfor our
sins. For in effect (althoughI acknow-
\} and merits, not in Lat.]

[^ odd knacks, translator's phrase.]
[3 See ô\. I. p. 108, note 6. Lombard. Sent. Lib. iv. distinct.10.
cap. 10.]
II.]
difference,and do not confound them)
ledge that there is a
justification both to one end. By the
and satisfactioncome
of Christ we
justification are absolved : by the satisfaction
of Christ, rather for his satisfaction'ssake, -we are
or also
absolved. Christ is our righteousness, and therefore also our
is in Christ, not in
satisfaction. The price of our redemption
ourselves. If we make satisfactionfor ourselves, then is the
And therefore are we
price of our redemption in ourselves.
both Christs and Saviours unto ourselves ; which thing doth
flatlymake Christ of none effect,and therefore is it extreme
blasphemy. Moses in his law doth with littlebusiness or
none dissolve all the arguments for satisfaction wrought by

our works. For where he describeth the manner of cleansing
he no jotthereof in the works of men, but shew-
sins, placeth
Now
eth that it all consisteth in the ceremonial sacrifices.
we do all agree and jointly confess, that in those sacrificesthe
only sacrificeof Christ was plainly prefigured. And to that
is added, that that only preaching and promise of the new
testament is this: "I will be appeased upon their unright- [Jer.xxxi.
eousness and sins,and will no more remember their iniquities."
is no oblation or satis-
Now where such a remission is,there faction
for sin. And we in the creed verily do believe the
forgiveness of sins. But if the debtor make satisfactionto the
doth the creditor forgive him ?
creditor,then what, I pray you,
Therefore this article of our faith, the principal promise
and preaching of the new testament, is utterly subverted, if

for sin.
we admit the doctrine of the satisfactionof our works
We do acknowledge that tears, fastings, wearing of sack- codafflict-
humiliation, whose sins
cloth, alms-deeds, and the other works of piety,
I will forgiven.
and charity, have a place* in repentance ; of which
^
but we deny that with them we
speak in place convenient :
lest we should make the price
make satisfactionfor our sins,
of Christ his redemption of none effect. We acknowledge that
at some times the Lord hath whipped^ them whose sins he hath
forgiven, as he did to our parents Adam and Evah, and to king
But I have
David after his adultery and murder of Urias.
already shewed'^ you that those aflflictions
were not satisfactions
[*suum locum, Lat. ; their own

place.]
[5 modis omnibus, Lat. omitted ; by all means.]
[6 sumpsisse supplicium vel poenam, Lat.]
[7 See Vol. 11. p. 430.]
for tlio sins which God had pardoned, but exercises of God's
disciphne and humiUation ; which doth by those means
keep his servants in their dutiful obedience, and doth declare
to all men how heartily he hatcth sins, although ho doth
freely forgive and pardon them. Therefore lest we, because
be the inclined and
of that free forgiveness, should more
he to be
prone to sin, he punisheth them whom maketh
examples for us to take heed by.
Neither read that the saints did simply attribute
do we
the benefit of justification

or satisfactionunto their afflictions.
I confess that Daniel the prophet gave counsel to the most
king Nabuchodonosor,
and said : Let thy sins be "
mighty
iniquitiesin shewing pity
redeemed in righteousness, and thine
to the poor' :" but in these words the king was taught how
to lead the rest of his life that
yet behind, and how to was
rule the state of his kingdom.

The king had till then
oppressed many nations, and sinned in merciless cruelty :

whereupon he persuadeth him to change his old kind of life,
and deal well with all men.

to embrace justice, Therefore he
speaketh not of the satisfactionof his sins before God, but

before men. there is salvation in none
For other than in
Christ alone. But if any man do stubbornly stick upon the
letter,we say, that the righteousness of Christians is faith,by
which their sins are properly cleansed : and that faith is not
good and charity-, to
works which justification is
without
unproperly ascribed. Of which matter I spake in the treatise
^.
that I made
of good works
8; Therefore, when St Peter doth cite that place in mon,
Salo-
y^retîv.
"Charity covereth the multitude of sins;" the word
'covereth' is not there used for purging; for by the only
blood of Christ all sins are purged and wiped away : but it is
taken for turning away. self-lovein a manner
For is the
as
root of all sins, so charity is thought to be the driver away

of all mischiefs; for "love doth none illto his neighbour^."
Now
Many sins be whoroas they
objectthat of the gospel,
sentence
Many sins^ be forgiven her, because
"
where
iHc?aus^"si" the Lord saith, " o '
loved much.
[1justitia Lat. Dan. iv.

redimantur, 27.]
[2 beiieficcntia vcl caritato, Lat.] [3 See Vol. ii. p. 327.]
[* Rom. xiii. 10. Bullinger has here borrowed from his Com-
montai-y on St Peter, loc. cit.]

[5Luko vii. 47. pcccata Lat.]
ejus,
H]
she loved much :" they do miss herein, because they under-
stand
not that the word on, which is commonly Englished'^,
because, or, foi-that, is here a note of inferring
somewhat,
and that no other sense is gathered than this : " Many sins
be forgiven her, therefore she loved much ; or, it
whereby
Cometh, that she loveth much." Neither do we here wrest
the words of the gospel to maintain a wrong opinion ; for in
the history there goeth before, first," When they were not
able to pay, he forgave them both." If he forgave them,
and if they were not able to pay, he did not then forgive
them for their love ; for if they had been able to pay, he
would not have forgiven them. Secondarily, there goeth
before, "
AVhether
of these will love him more?" Simon
saith, Ho to whom
"
he forgave the more." Therefore the
Lord's answer could in effect be nothintj else but this : I "
have forgiven her'^ very much, therefore hath

she loved
much." So
then, I say, love is of forgiveness, and not for-
giveness
of love. And then it followeth immediately : And "
he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace."

We do therefore conclude, that there is but one only
tion
satisfac-
for the sins of all the world, to wit, Christ once^
offered
up for us which are by faith made partakers of him.
But now, do
as we not acknowledge or
admit the satis-or indui-
factions that obtruded unto us in the doctrine of the^^"*^^^'

are
priests and monks, so do we by all means detest the indul-

gences
of the bishops of Rome. They called these indul-
gences
a beneficial
pardoning of crimes, or remission of the
punishment, or of the guilt, or both ; to wit, by the power of
the keys bestowed by the Lord ; and for the merit of the
martyrs' blood (forso they say)granted or given to them
that are rightly contrite in heart, and do confess their sins.
For these fathers of indulgences^ are wont with their indul-
gences
to remit again the rigour and
severity of the satisfac-
tion,
which heth in them to order at their discretion'". Truly,
as one said,
"
The fathers' gentle indulgence
doth make the
children naughf ;" so have their indulgences utterly cor-
rupted
true repentance. But thou canst read in no place that
[6 redditur, Lat. ; rendered.][7 huic mulieri, Lat. ; this

woman.]
[8 once, not in Lat.] [9 indulgentes patves, Lat.]
[1'^sue impositara arbitrio, Lat.]
[11 Blanda patrum segnes facit indulgentia natos. Joan. Baptist, "
Mantuan. Parthen. Lib. i. 164. Tom. Par.

i.
1531.]
given to the popes as they did feign. AVe

^
such power was
read that to the apostles the keys were given by the Lord :
but those keys were nothing else but the ministry of preach-
ing
the gospel; as I in place convenient will shew unto you.
Now the gospel promiscth to us remission both of the guilt
and penalty for Christ his sake and faith in Christ, and doth
admonish us that in the latter times there shall come men
that shall say, We are Christs ; that is,which shall attribute

to themselves the things that do properly belong to Christ
alone, such as is especially the forgiveness of sins. But it
commandeth us to fly from them, and by all means to take

heed of them, as of wicked seducers.
The same evangelical truth doth teach, that the faithful
are cleansed by the only blood of the Son of God. Their
indulgences do promise men the cleansing of their sins throuo^h
the blood of St Peter, St Paul, and other holy martyrs. And
for that cause are they the profanation of the blood of the
Son of God. The saints do wash their garments in the blood
of the Lamb, in the pardoning bull,or box of indulgences,
not
nor in the martyrs' blood. Yea, Paul himself denieth that
either he, or Peter, or any other of the saints was crucified

for the church of God. And yet their indulgences were so
set forth, as though God were pleased with us for the blood
of the martyrs. Therefore their indulgences are flatlycontrary
to the apostles'doctrine. And I admonished you in my sermon
^
of good works in these words of Paul,
"
I fulfilthat which is
behind of the afilictionsof Christ in my flesh for his body's
is not referred
sake, which is the church;" that that fulfilling
to the work of the purging or propitiationof Christ, which is
consummate, unless Christ at his death did testify falsely,

saying, "It is consummate;" but to those afflictions
where-
with
the members of Christ, that is,the faithful,
are exercised
by the cross so long they live in this frail flesh. Yerily
as
the Lord maketh laid upon the faith-

account of the afflictions
rActsix.4.] ful, as of his own; for to Paul he said, "Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou me?" Moreover, when he saith, "For the

church," he meaneth not, for the expiation of the church, but
for the edificationand profit of the same^ And Paul sustained
[} clavium potestatem, Lat. ; power of the keys.]

[2 See Vol.
II. page 333.]
[3 Calvin's words, Instit.Lib. m. cap. 5. f 4. Foxo, Acts and Men.
Vol. V. p. Gil. Lond. 1838.]
OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEKEOI-. 95
II.J
grievous afflictionsat the hands of the Jews because he

preached tlie gospel to the Gentiles : and it was expedient
that in him there should be shewed to the church an example
of patience so rare as could not lightly be found again. Yea,
other have
oftentimes objected against these indulgence-
defenders this godly saying of the holy man, pope Leo, in his
eighty-first epistle; Although the death of many saints is The
"
hoiy
... ., /"iTi 1 1 ^ f saints' suffer-
precious m the sight oi the Lord, yet the slaughter oi no man ingisnotour
, . . .
, . . . " "
n ^
redemption.
subject to sin is the propitiation for the sins of the world."
Again, " The righteous have received, not given, crowns of
glory : and of the manful constancy of the martyrs are
sprung examples of patience, not the gifts of righteousness :
for their deaths were singular ; neither did any one by his
ending pay the debt of another, since there is one Lord Jesus
Christ, in whom they are all crucified,dead, buried and raised
up again*." Thus much out of pope Leo. We have there-
fore
by divine and human
testimonies evidently proved, that
the indulgences given to sinners by the merit or treasure of
the martyrs' blood ai'e mere blasphemies against God, and
open injuries against his holy martyrs.

I have hitherto spoken of those indulgences which were The fiuhy
of old freelybestowed by the popes of Rome^, although at this indulgences.

day they be few in number and curtailed too : now therefore
I will say somewhat of their indulgences, which they for the
most part do selland make trafiicof. To sell indulgences in
the church of God is
sin so detestable,as that it is hard to
a
name any one more horrible. And yet it is and hath been a
common practice and merchandise^ these many years with the
bishops of Rome and their factors, whom they call apostolics,
not having any word in the scripture wherewith to cloak that
["*
Quamvis
enim multorum sanctorum in conspectu Domini pre-
tiosa mors fuerit, nullius tamen iusontis (Bullinger has occisio
soiitts)
propitiatio fuit mundi. Acceperunt justi,non dederunt, coronas : et
de fortitudine fidelium exempla nata sunt patientise, non dona justitia?.

Singulares quippe in singulis mortes fuerunt ; nee alternus quispiam
debitum suo fine persolvit, cum inter filioshominum unus solus Domi-
nus noster Jesus Christus extiterit,in quo omnes crucifixi,omnes mor-
tui, omnes sepulti, omnes sunt suscitati. Leon. 0pp. Ep.

"
etiam
Lsxxiii. ad Falsest. Episc. p. 152. The same is repeated in Ep.
xcvii. ad Leon. Aug. cap. 2. pp. 171, 172, and Serm. xii. p. 59. Par.
1662.]
[^ of Rome, not in Lat.] [^ and 'merchandise, not in Lat.]
wicked invention. And now, though I shp over and do not

shew how indulgences are nothins: but a bare name without
any stuif or matter, and that under that vain name miserable
men and sillysouls arc foully deceived; yet note, that Christ,
the chief and only high priest of his catholicand holy church,
in the days of his flesh did with a
whip drive the buyers and
sellers(asimpudent dogs)out of the church^ of God : which
thing
io^^Miitt^^ he did twice ; once the beginning of his preaching,
at
12, 13.]
xxi.
^^^ another time a littlebefore his passion 2. At the first
time he added : Away
"
with these things from hence, and
make not my Father''s house an house of merchandise." At
the latter time he said : " It is written, IMy house shall be
called the house of prayer ; but ye have made it a den of

thieves." And Simon Magus also, in the Acts of the Apostles,
seeing that by the laying on of the apostles'hands the Holy
Ghost was given, did offer them money, saying : Give me "
this power also, that on whomsoever I lay my hands, he
receive the Holy

may Ghost." But hearken hoW Peter
accepteth his petition.

"
is-iri"'' moneyThy(saidhe) perish with

thee ; because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be
obtained with money. Thou hast neither part nor fellowship
in this business ; for thy heart is not right in the sight of
God." Lo, the gifts of God are not gotten with money.
Lo, their heart is not right that make merchandise of religion^.
Lo, they have no part or fellowship in the inheritance of the
kingdom of heaven, in the preaching of the glad tidings'*.
or
Therefore what shall we say now of the indulgences which

the pope's apostolicsdo set to sale for money ? What shall
we say of the very indulgenciaries,and the pope himself,
whose hirelings they be ? We must confess, verily, that they
are the fellows of Simon (notPeter, but)Magus : for Peter
did by the justsentence such kind of merchants:
of God curse
"Your money he) perish together with you."

(saith This is
a heavy and terrible,but yet a most justjudgmentof the
most justGod. The same apostle Peter, foreseeing that in
the church there would be many such merchants, doth in his
[3 Pet. ii. 1- lastepistlesay : "There were falseprophets among the people,
3.]
[1 e templo, Lat.]
[2 Rather, nearly at the end, i. e. of his
ministry.]
[3 in rebus religionis, Lat.]
[_*vel in evangelica ratione, Lat]
II. J OF UEl'ENTAN'CE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 07
even there shall be falseteachers among you, which privily

as
bring in damnable lieresies,even denying the Lord that hatli

bought them, and bring upon themselves swift damnation.
And many shall follow their damnable ways, by whom the
way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And with covetousness
through feigned words shall they make merchandise of you."
For what is it with feigned words through covetousness
to make merchandise^ of the miserable idiots",if this is not,
when they say that they do give full remission of sins unto
all them that are contrite, and do confess their sins ? For if
any man do acknowledge his sins,and with a true faith con-
vert^
himself to God through Christ, even
without their indul-
gences
he doth obtain plenary remission of all his sins. Those
foxes therefore make money of smoke, deceiving simple souls^,
and sellingfor coin the thing which they never had, neither
possibly can be purchased with money.
And thus much hitherto of bought and sold indulgences ;
of which other writers have made very long discourses. I
suppose that by
this littleany man may easily understand
how to judgeof them aright.
We are now at length come
past those rocks and shelves
to which we did of purpose sail,that, when we had viewed the
most perilous places, we might admonish the unskilful passen-
gers
to take heed how they strike upon them for making
shipwreck of their souls,by thinking that in these indulgences
doth lie the true force of sufficient
repentance ; wherein there
is nothing but the utter displeasing
of God's most holy
majesty. Therefore letting that alone as it is, we do now

return to declare the last members of repentance, whereby
we said that penitents do mortify the old man, and are
renewed spiritually.
First of all therefore, it seemeth good to tell.What the old
man is,What the new or
regenerated man is, and What the
power or strength of man is : for by the demonstration
thereof we shall the better understand what it is to mortify
the old man, and to be renewed in the spirit.
[5 lucrumque facere, Lat. omitted; and to make gain.]

[6 ex misei-a plebecula, Lat. Cf. Vol. i. p. 71, note 3,]
["^convertatur, Lat.]
[8 fucum faciunt simplicibus versutissimi, Lat. Cf. Erasm. Chiliad.
Adag. p. 305, imposiurce.]
[bULLINGER,
III.]
The old and "We Say that the old man is all that which we have
of nature, or of our firstparents, to wit, not the body only or

the flesh,I mean the grosser and substantial part of the body;
but even very soul, with the strength, the power and
the
facultiesof the same. Therefore, whereas in some places of
the holy scriptures the flesh is put for man, we must not only
understand the massy substance and grosser part of the body ;

but the very flesh together with the soul and all the faculties
thereof, that is, the whole man not yet regenerate. For the
[johniii.6.] Lord iu the gospel saith ; "That which is born of the flesh is
flesh,and that which is born of the spirit is spirit." And this
he speaketh concerning regeneration, which is not according
to the flesh (asNicodemus did falsely imagine),
but according
to the spirit. The word "flesh" therefore doth import^ the
natural power and facultiesôf man ; even all that, I mean,

which we have or take of our first grandsire Adam. The
new man is said to be he that is regenerate by the Spirit of
God in Christ, or according to the image of
is renewed
The flesh Christ, with all the giftsand virtues of the Holy Ghost. And
as the flesh is usually put for the old man, so^ is the spiritby
scriptuTe
man. an antithesiscommonly used and taken for the new man.
Now here the very place requireth to discourse somewhat

of the power and virtues of man : of which although I have
elsewhere disputed already, as in the sermon of freedom and
bondage, and of sin^ yet again I will touch such points as I
think to sufficefor this present argument.
Of the power There are two parts or facultiesof our soul, understand-
ing
Understanding doth discern in things
and will. object,
what to receive or what to refuse ; and is as it were the
light and guide of the soul. Will chooseth, for in it doth lie
both to will and to nill: which are again impelled by other
Understand-
powors and facultics. Now the understanding is of two
sorts ; for understand either earthly or heavenly things.
we
I call those earthly things, which do appertain not to the life

to come, but to the life present : whereunto we refer all
liberal arts and handicrafts, the governing of pubhc weals,
[1 comprehendit, Lat.]
[2 naturalis anima;, Lat. ; the powers and faculties of the natural
soul.]
[3and as "
so, not in Lat.]
[4 See Sermons 9, 10. of the Third Decade.]
OF REPEXTAXCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 99
II.]
and the ruling of private houses. By heavenly things I un-derstand

God himself, eternal felicity,
and lifeeverlasting,the
knowledge and all kinds of virtues, faith, hope,
of God
charity, righteousness, holiness, and innocency of life.
Now let us sec what this understanding of man is able to
do, and what power it hath. The judgmentand understand-
ing
of man in earthly things is not altogether none at all: but
yet it is weak and very small, God wot. The understanding

therefore that is in man doth come of God : but in that it is
small and weak, that cometh of man's own fault and corrup-
tion.
But the bountiful Lord doth augment in men those
gifts of his ; whereby it cometh that man's wit bringeth
wonderful things to pass. For which cause we read in the
holy scriptures, that the arts and wits of men are in the
hands of God. But in the knowledge or
understanding of
heavenly matters there is not one small spark of light in man:
his wit of itselfis nothing but darkness, which at the begin-
ning
created by God most sharp and lightsome, but was
was
afterwards by man's^ corruption utterly rebated^ and darkened

again. For therefore it is that Christ in the gospel said :
"No man cometh unless my Father draw him."
to me, And [.Tohnvi.44,
in the Prophets it is written : "
All shall be taught by God." "*"'''
And Paul saith : The natural man

"
perceiveth not the things [icor.ii.u.]
that are of the Spirit of God ; for they are foolishness unto
him ; neither can know, because they are spiritually dis-
cerned."
The
natural man (thatis, that old man which is
not yet regenerate by the Holy Ghost)is not a block alto-
gether
without all sense or feeling : for if he utterly were
without all the discourses of reason, then how should the

preaching of the gospel seem foolishness unto him ? He doth
therefore by the gift of God hear and understand the words
and sense of the holy scripture ; but by reason of his natural
corruption he is not touched with them, he doth not rightly
judgeof them : they seem mere folly unto him neither doth
:
he perceive that they must be discerned spiritually,because

he is not regenerate, and is yet without the true light of
God's most holy Spirit. For in another place the apostle
saith :
"
We are not able to think any good'^ as of ourselves,
but all our ability is of God." And therefore it is that we
[5parentis nostri, Lat.] [6 rebated: blunted. Johnson.]

[" 2 Cor. iii.5; good, not in Lat.]
7"2
100 THE I'OUKIH DECADE. [SERM.
do often in the scriptures find mention

SO of enlightening or
illumination : which should without cause be expressed or
named, if so be man's understanding were clear, and of itself

not dark and misty. There is therefore born together with
all men a blindness of heart and mind, a doubting in the
promises of God, and unbelief and perverse^ judgmentin

an
all heavenly things. For albeit that man hath at God's

hand received understanding, yet by reason of his own cor-
ruption
ignorance is a peculiar and proper heritage belonging
unto him. For he is then in his- kingdom, when he is blind,
when he doth err, doubt, when he doth not

when he doth
believe, nor usethe giftsthat God hath given him rightly, as
he should, that is,to his own salvation and the glory of his
3.
Maker
Let us what the will of the old man
now see is able to
do. Therefore, since this will doth follow a blind guide, God
wot, that is to say, corrupf* affection, it is unknown to no
man what foolish^ choice it maketh, and whereunto it tend-

eth. although the understanding be never
And so true and
good, yet is the will like to a ship tossed to and fro with
stormy tempests, that is, of affections. For it walloweth^ up
and down with hope, fear, lust, sorrow, and anger, so that it
chooseth and folioweth nothing but evil. For the holy apostle
[Rom vii,
speaking of himself doth say : I know that in me, that is, in
"
my flesh,there dwelleth no
good thing. For to will is present
with me, but I find no means to perform that which is good.

For the good that I would, do I not : but the evil which I
would not, that do I." But now, since the apostle spake this
of himself when he was regenerate, what, I pray you, shall we
say of the will of the old man ? The old man willeth all
things which God willeth not, and, breaking into all kind of
wickedness, doth foully fulfilhis filthy lusts : that is to say,
he giveth his members servants unto uncleanness and wicked-
ness,
from one iniquity unto another. We have of this very
many examples exhibited unto us, both by the holy scriptures

and daily experience.
Of the new
Let US uow against this oppose or set the new man, that
"generation,
is,the man which is regenerate by the Spirit of God through
[1 porversissimum, Lat.] [2 suo, Lat. ; his own.]

[3 Dei, Lat.] [* corruptissimum, Lat.]
p foolish, not in Lat.] ..
[^ raptatiir,Lat.]
ir.]
the faith of Jesus Christ. Now retjeneration is the renewino-

of the man, by which through the faith of^ Jesus Christ, we,
which were the sons of Adam and of wrath, are born aâin
the sons of God, and do therefore put off^ the old man, and
put on the new,
which both in understanding and will doth
freely serve the Lord. This regeneration is the renewing of
the mind, not of the body : as we heard in another place, out
of the third chapter of St John's gospeP. The author of this
regeneration is the Holy Ghost, which is from heaven given

unto man, I mean, to a faithful man. For the gift of the
Holy Ghost is given for Christ his sake, and that too unto
none but those that do believe in Christ. This Spirit of God [Rom. vii.
doth testify with our spiritthat we are the sons of God, and
therefore the heirs of his kingdom. We are therefore a new
creature, repaired now according to the image of God, and
endued with a new nature or disposition: whereby it cometh
to pass, that we do daily put off that old man, and put on
the new
which thing is done when we walk^", not in concupi-
:
scence,
^
after the carnal inclination' of the flesh,but in newness
of sense, according to the working of the Holy Ghost by

whom we are
regenerate. The same substance and form of
the body abideth still; the mind is changed, the understanding
and will renewed. For by the Spirit of God the understand-
ing
is illuminated, faith and the understanding
of God and
heavenly things is plenteously bestowed, and by it unbelief
and
ignorance, that is, the darkness of the old man, are
utterly
expelled, according to that saying of the apostle,
"
Through [icor. i. 5 ;
"'
Christ ye are made rich in all things, in all speech and know- '
ledge:" again, "We have not received the spirit of the
world, but the spirit which is of God, to know what things

are
given of Christ to us." And again,
"
We have (or
know
or)'^mind of Christ." And again, Yo have
"
the spirit
no need that any man teach you : but as the very anointing
doth instruct you of all things, and is true,
abide ye in it'^"
And in this regeneration of man the will also doth receive
["^per Spiritum sanctum in fide J. C.,Lat. ; through the Holy Spirit
in the faith
of.]
[8 in diem, Lat. omitted ; day by day.]
[9 See above, p. 37.] [10dum ambulamus, Lat.]
[11pro ingenio, Lat.]
[52The parenthesis is the translator's.]
[131 John ii. 27, in ea, Lat. and Erasmus ; in it,Marg. Auth. Ver.]
an heavenly virtue, to do the good which the understanding

perceived by the Holy Ghost : so that it willeth,chooseth, and
worketh the good hath shewed it; and on the
that the Lord
other side nilleth,hateth, and repelleth the evil that the Lord
hath forbidden it. For Paul saith : "I know to be humble,
and I know to exceed. I can do all things through Christ

who strengthencth me^" And again to the Philippians he
saith : To you it is given for Christ, not only to believe

"
in him, but also to suffer for him," And again yet he doth
more plainly say :
"
that worketh in you both to
It is God
will and to perform, according to the good purpose of the
note this, that whatsoever they do which

2."
mind But now
are
regenerate by the Spirit of God, they do it freely, not by
compulsion, nor against their wills. For like as God requireth
a cheerful giver ; so "where the Spirit of the Lord is,there is
free liberty and hearty good-wilR" And Zachary, the father of
[Luke i.74, John Baptist, said : "That we, being delivered from the hands
of enemies, might serve

our him without fear, in holiness and
righteousness before him all the days of our life." Yea, and
our Lord himself in the gospel saith : If ye abide in my "
know
sayings, ye shall be my disciplesindeed, and ye shall
the truth, and the truth shall make you free." And again :
[John yiii. "
If the Son set you at liberty, or make you free, then shall ye
be free indeed." Touching this liberty of the sons of God
I have already discoursed in the ninth sermon of my third
Decade.
What, xhis libertv of the sons of God we
and of do willino-lyacknow-
what kind, 'J
,
ledge and freely confess : but the arrogant disputations of

'*
that'isTn^
man,
somo blasplicmous praters* concerning free-will,as though it
were in of ourselves to do any heavenly thing, we
our power
do utterly and flatly deny. And yet we do not make
reject
man to fatal necessity, nor turn upon God the blame
subject
of iniquity, as we have elsewhere more at large declared ^
And St Augustine in his controversy with the Pelagians did
so attemper his disputation, that he attributed the good to the
grace of God, and the evil unto our nature : so that, the sense
being sound, uncorrupted, and well weighed, he attributeth
[1Phil, iv, 12. exccUere, Lat. and Erasmus ; excede, Tyndale, 1534.]
[2 Phil. i. 29; ii. 13. See above, p. 323, note 6.]
[3 2 Cor. iii,17, and hearty good-will, not m Lat.]
["*blasphemous praters, not in Lat.] [^See Decade in. Serm, 10,]
OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF, 103
II.]
free-will, which he granteth to be in the grace that
us, unto
worketh in us, yea, to the regeneration of the Spirit,rather

than to ourselves or our own power.
I will here cite and you, dearly beloved,
rehearse unto
this one testimony only out of all his writings, as it is to be
found in the first chapter of his book De Correj^ttione et
*'
We have
Gratia, where he saith : must confess that we
free-will to do both evil and good : but in the doing of evil
but
every one is free from righteousness, and bound to sin ;
in good no man can be free, unless he be made free by him
free
which said, If the Son make you free, then shall ye be
'
indeed.' And that, when every one

yet not so is set free
from the condemnation of sin, he should then no more stand
in need of his deliverer's aid : but so rather, that, where he
heareth his dehverer say, ' Without me ye can do nothing,' he
helper ; O
should presently say to him again, Be thou my
*
forsake me not.' And verily, I am glad that in our brother

Florus I found this faith, which, without doubt, is the true,
prophetical, and apostolical faith. For here must the grace
of God through Jesus Christ our Lord be needs understood ;

by which alone we men are delivered from evil, and without
love, or deed :
which we good, either in thought, will,
do no
not only that by the shewing, or teaching of grace, men

should no more but know what is to be done ; but also, that
by the very working and performing of grace they should
forth. For
with love do the thing that they know''." And so
I have hitherto rehearsed unto you St Augustine's opinion
[6 Liberum itaque ct ad bonum faciendum

arbitrium et ad malum
est nos habere : sed in malo faciendo liber est quisque
confitendum
justitise,servusque peccati ; in bono autem liber esse nuUus potest, nisi
fuerit liberatus ab eo qui dixit. Si vos Filius liberaverit, tunc vere liberi
damnatione liberatus,
eritis. Nee ita ut cum quisque fuerit a peccati
jamnon indigeat sui liberatoris auxilio: seditapotiusut ab illo audiens.
Sine me nihil potestis facere, dicat ei et ipse, Adjutor mens esto, ne
derelinquas me. Ilanc fidem, qute sine dubio vera et prophetica et
fides est, etiam in fratre nostro Floro invenisse

gaudeo. me
apostolica
Intelligenda Dei per Jesum Christum Dominum nos-
trum,
est enim gratia
qua sola homines liberantur a malo, et sine qua nullum prorsus
et amando, sive agendo faciunt bonum :
sive cogitando, sive volendo
non solum ut monstrante ipsa quid faciendum sit sciant, verum etiam
ut prsestante ipsa faciant cum dilectione quod sciunt. August. 0pp."
Tom. VII. fol. 272. col. 2. Tar. 1531.]

toucliing frce-wUl, of which this is sufficientfor a note by the

way : now I return to my purpose again.
How the old Wo have heard what the old man is, what the new man
man is mor-
'^' ^"^ ^^"^ ^" ^^^ rcnowcd by the Holy Spirit : now there-
rlnewed"b
the Spirit,
fore, when say that penitents do mortify the old man,
we and
are renewed by the Spirit, or spiritually, we say nothing else
but that to all penitents the affections,senses or lusts,of the flesh
(Imean, the very understanding which we have of the old

even
Adam, together with the are not only suspected, but also
will,)
convicted of impiety ; and that therefore^ in all their thoughts,
words, and deeds, they do never admit their affections into
their counsel, but do by all means resist them, and continually
study to break the neck of them : and on the other side, in
all our counsels, words, and deeds to admit and receive, yea,
and with prayers to call unto us, that heavenly guide, the
Spirit of Christ, by whose conduct and leading we may per-ceive,
judge,speak, and work, that is to say, either omit or
do, that which we have learned in our grand pattern Christ,
according to whose likeness we must be reformed, that hence-

forth
we
may apply ourselves to holiness, righteousness, and
good works to God-ward-.
But now all this we shall understand more rightly and
plainly by the words of the apostle, where he saith : This I "
3,
say, and testify in the Lord that ye henceforth walk not as
other Gentiles walk, in vanity of their mind, darkened in
cogitation,being alienated from the lifeof God by the ignorance
that isin them, by the blindness of their hearts; which being past
feeling have given themselves over unto wantonness, to work
alluncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned

Christ, ifso be ye have heard him, and have been taught in him,
as the truth isin Jesus; to lay down,
according to the former con-
versatio
the old man, which is corrupt according to the lusts
of error, but to be renewed in the spiritof your mind; and to
put on thatwhich after God is shapen in righteous-

new man,
ness
and hohness of truth :" and so forth, as folioweth in the
fourth chapter to the Ephesians*. The same apostle in the
third to the Colossians saith : "
Mortify your members which
[1 in gerendis rebus, Lat. omitted; in all their transactions.]
[2 beneficentiEequc, Lat. ; to God-ward, not in Lat.]
"3 per Dominum, Lat. and Erasmus.]
[4 verses 17 "
24, holiness of truth, Marp;. Auth. Ver.]
II.]
are upon the earth fornication,uncleanness, inordinate affec-

; tion
^ evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry;
for which things' sake the wrath of God cometh upon the
children of disobedience: among whom ye also walked sometime,
when ye lived in them. But now put ye off also all these
things, wrath, fierceness, maliciousness, blasphemy, filthycom-
munication
of your mouth : lie not one to another, seeing
out
that ye have put off the old man with his works ; and have
put on the new man, which is renewed into the knowledge
and image of him that made him. Put on therefore, as the elect
of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, modesty,
meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and for-
giving
"
one another, if any man have a quarrel against any :
and so forth. To
if thou addest that which the apostle
which
hath of the same matter in the sixth chapter to the Romans,
every point will be more express and plain unto the hearer.
Now these words of the apostle do not only teach usorthewor-
what the old man is, what the new man is, what it is to "f the frui'ts
"/"111 11 "
1 "
1
worthy of
mortify the old man, and how penitents are renewed in the repentance.
newness of the spirit,

or of the
mind ; but do also shew what the
fruitsbe that are worthy of repentance, to wit, those rehearsed
virtues, or those ofiicesof lifetoward God and our neighbour.

"We owe to God fear and^ reverence, humbleness of mind, the
knowledge'^ of ourselves, faith, hope, the hatred of sin, the
love of righteousness; charity towards our neighbour^, well-
doing
towards all men^, and innocency in all things. These
kind of fruits did the holy man John Baptist require of the
Jewish nation, when he said : Bring forth fruits that become [Lukeiii. lo,
"
repentance." For in St Luke, being demanded of the people,

of the publicans, and of the mercenary or
garrison soldiers^",
what thing they should do worthy of repentance, he prescrib-
eth none other than that which we even now recited. For the
Lord himself by Esay, in the fifth chapter of his prophecy,
rehearsed up none other fruits than those. And in the reve-
[5 mollitiem, Lat. and Erasmus; unnatural lust, Tyndale 1534, and

Cranmer
1539.]
P sive, Lat. ; or.] ["âgnitionem, Lat.]
[^ Rather, to our neighbour (we owe),"c.]
[9 towards all men, not in Lat.]
['^â satellitibus
vel stipendiariis, Lat. In his Comment, in loc. cit.
Bullinger explains at length what soldiers these were.]
lOG THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
lation^ made to St John, speaking to the minister of the

llemember from whence thou
church of Ephesus, he saith :
"
art fallen,and repent, and do the firstworks." AYhereunto
agree the words of St Paul, speaking to Agrippa, and saying :

I have and Gentiles, exhorting them
the Jews
"
[Aouxxvi. preached to
to repent, and to turn to God, and to do such works as
become them that repent." And again, in the seventh chap-

2 Cor. [10, ter of the second epistle to the Corinthians, he saith : row
Sor- "
which is to God-ward causeth repentance unto salvation

not to be repented For, behold, this self-same thing that
of.
ye were made sorry to God-ward, how much carefulness it
hath wrought in you ; yea, what clearing of yourselves ; yea,
desire ;
what indignation; yea, what fear; yea, what vehement
Now this carefulness
yea, what zeal; yea, what punishment^!"
is an intentive diligence to correct that which is amiss.
Verily, out of careless looseness doth arise inured custom to
do not stand
commit sin, and negligent security. Penitents
in defence of their sins, but make their supplicant apology to
God, to have them remitted. Hypocrites excuse themselves,
freely
and seek out shifts and starting holes, not confessing
their sins and offences,nor praying to God to have them forgiven.
He which rcpenteth truly and in very deed is angry
with himself because of his wicked manners and life already

lewdly spent. The punishment which he doth exercise upon
himself^ preventeth and turneth away the revenging and imminent
wrath of God. Moreover with fear he doth take heed

how he sinneth any more : for the contempt of God is the
impenitent life. Further-
more,
original of mischiefs, and bond of an
he which doth truly repent is ravished with the passing
vehement desire or love of God and heavenly things : he

burneth with zeal, whereby it cometh to pass that he neither
foadeth* off from day to day, nor yet doth coldly nor slackly
go about, that which he hath learned by the word of God to
be required at his hand to be done and performed. Briefly,
his mind, even from
whatsoever he doth he doth it with all
the very bottom and root of his heart. For so saith the great
[Deut. XXX. prophet of God, the holy man Moses : " If thou wilt turn to
^ ^
2,a]
[1 revclatione sua, Lat. ; liisrevelation, chap. ii.5.]
[2 So Tyndale 1534, and Cranmer 153!J.]

[3 aflligendo semetipsum, Lat. omitted ; by himself.]
afflicting
[""foadeth off. See Vol. ii. page 38, note 3.]
II.]
the Lord thy God, and hearken unto his voice, with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul ; the Lord thy God also shall
turn thy captivity, and shew pity upon thee in the bowels of
mercy." Thus touching the fruits of repentance.

much
Now upon
^ all the premises we infer this consequent, that Repentance
is d work not
. - . -
^ ,
repentance (whose only scope, whereto it tendeth^ is the "faiiayor
renovation by the Spirit of Christ of the image of God, which a" our iife.
was by Adam's fall of old work of a day or

is not
defiled) a
twain, or of a prescribed number of years, but a continual

observance of our whole life,and so consequently a daily
for ever^. For they
putting off and renewing of the old man
that are regenerate by the Holy Spirit of God are never so
purged that they feel no motions of the flesh, of sin, and of

carnal affections. There is always to the eyes of the
object
this sentence of St Paul, that cannot by any means
fiiithful be [Rom. vit. "
plucked out of their minds : I know that in me, that is, in

"
flesh, there dwelleth For to will is pre-

my no good thing. sent
with me, but I find perform that which
no means to
is good. For the good, that I would, I do not ; but the evil,
that I would not, that do I." For we bear about the relics
it cometh that
of the flesh through all our life. Whereupon
in the saints there is a perpetual and very sharp battle. For
they do partly obey the spirit,and are partly weakened of the
flesh : by the spirit they are lifted up to the contemplation
fleshthey are thrust
and desire of heavenly things ; but by the
down to earthly things, and troubled with the allurements of
this naughty world. For even the apostle, feeling that com-
bat
in himself, said : The flesh lusteth contrary to the spirit,[Oai.v. 17.]
"
and the spirit contrary to the flesh. For they are so at
enemity betwixt themselves, that what ye would ye cannot

do." And in another place he saith : "Even I, the same, do [Rom.vii.
iu the mind serve the law of God, but in the flesh the law of
sin." And, to help the matter forward withal, there lacks no
deceit, no craft, and a thousand'^ temptations of the subtle
labour and
crafts-master, our enemy the devil. Therefore the
is, of a christian man, is far
peril of the true penitent, that
it.
greater than that our prayers are comparable unto
But now who doth not here perceive how great watching,
[5 in nobis, Lat. omitted ; in us.]

[6 adeoque innovationem quotidianam, is all BuUinger says.]
[" incessabiles, Lat. omitted; endless.]
lOS THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
What
are
things
abstinence, constancy ^ fortitude,and patience, are needful for
"^
'
i '
necessary
in penitents, those that do rcpcnt ? what great need they have of earnest
and continual prayers? Let us in this sharp conflict lay

before eyes the instruction of that vahant champion the
our
apostle Paul ; for that which he saith may be to us instead

of a large and ample commentary. For he will in few words
passingly instruct us how to behave ourselves in this trouble-

some
combat, how to vanquish, and how to triumph when the

victory is gotten. In his epistle to the Ephesians thus he
saith : Brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of

"
his might. Put on all the armour of God, that ye may stand
against the assaults of the devil. For we wrestle not against
flesh and blood only, but against rules,against powers, against
^
worldly governors of the darkness of this world, against
spiritualsubtiltiesin heavenly things. Wherefore take unto
you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to resist
in the evil day, and, having finished all things, to stand fast.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with the truth,
and having on the breast-plate of righteousness, and your
feet shod in the preparation of the gospel of peace : above all,
taking the shield of faith,wherewith you may quench all the
fiery darts of the wicked : and take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit,which is the word of God ; pray-
ing
always in all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,and
watching for the same with all instance."" And so as follow-
eth in the sixth to the Ephesians.

^Qve
Jxercises"'of'' therefore are also to be rehearsed the outward
repentance,
excrciscs of repcntauce or rites of penance, wherewith the
saints do exercise themselves, partly to tame and keep under

the motions of flesh, and partly to testify their repentance
unto the congregation. Those exercises are, carelessness of
the flesh,tears, sighs, sackcloth, fastings,weeping, lamenting,
neglecting and hatred of dainty diet, trimming of the body,
and also of allowable pleasures: which, although they be
done, and yet do not proceed from the very heart and from
true faith,are notwithstanding nothing available to him that
useth them. But it is best here to learn, and as it were in
a painted table to behold them pictured in the word^ of God.
Joel 12-
[ii. The prophet Joel saith: "Turn ye to me, saith the Lord,
[1 assiduitate, Lat.] [2 rectores, Lat. omitted; rulers of.]
[3 in verbo sincere, Lat.]
or llEl'ENTANCK, AND THE CAUSES TIIEUEOF. 109
II.]
with all yourhearts, with tasting, with weeping, and with
mourning : and rent your hearts, and not your garments, and
turn to the Lord your God ; for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and of great goodness, and he will repent him

of the evil. Who knoweth whether the Lord* will return and
take compassion, and will leave behind him a blessing ?
Blow up a in Sion, proclaim fast, call an assembly,
trumpet
sanctify the congregation, gather the people, gather the ciders,
assemble the children and sucking babes. Let the brideo-room
come forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
Let the priests,the Lord's ministers, weep betwixt the porch
and the altar, and let them say : Spare thy people, O Lord,
and give not over thine heritage unto reproach, that the
heathen should rule over them. "Wherefore should they
among the heathen say, AVhere is their God?" To these
divine and evident precepts let us annex that notable example
of the truly repentant Xinivites out of the holy scriptures;
of whom the holy prophet Jonas hath left this in writing :
"The of Xinive believed God, and proclaimed a fast,and put Jonah
men [iti.
on sackcloth from the greatest of them unto the least of them.

And word come to the king of Ninive, which arose from his
throne, and put oif his robe, and covered himself in sackcloth,
and sat down in the ashes." Moreover by the king's com-
mandment
proclamation was made throughout the whole city,
"
saying : Let neither man nor beast^ taste anything, neither
feed, nor yet drink water : but let both man
and beast put on
sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God ; yea, let every man
turn from his evil way^, and from the
wickedness that is in
his hands. Who can tell whether God will turn, and be
moved with repentance, and turn from
his fierce wrath, that
we perish not?" And now it is good to hear how effectual
true repentance is in the sight of the Lord. Therefore it
followeth in the chapter :
"
And God saw
same their works,
that they turned from their evil ways, and he repented of the
evil which he said he would do to them, and did it not."
And here also, dearly beloved, ye must note, that re- Private and
public re-
. .
pentanc
of two sorts, to wit, private or secret, and public pentancc.
is
or manifest. Every one doth secretly to himself repent
[^ the Lord, not in Lat.]

[^ neque greges, Lat. omitted ; nor flocks.]
[^ et a nolentia et injuria,
Lat.]
privately, so often as, when he hath sinned against God, he

doth descend into himself, and with the candle of God's word
doth search all the corners of his heart, and confess to God
all his offences; being grieved that he hath offended him,
and yet doth turn unto him, believing verily that he will be
reconciled unto him in Christ his Saviour ; and for his sake
doth utterly hate sin, and entirely love righteousness and
innocency, in following them so near as he can^ The public
or solemn repentance is used in great calamities, in dearth,
in pestilence and war ;
and of that repentance it is that the
prophet Joel speaketh, whose words ye heard a littleafore.
And yet private repentance is in many points all one with
the pubhc. For Peter weepeth bitterly; and private peni-
tents
do fast privately, and abstain severely even from all
allowed pleasures, much more then from the allurements
^.
and baits of the world But
they that do truly repent
either publicly or privately,both do and must specially hate
iteppntance
be"^"
colourcd hvDocrisv and vain ostentation. Moreover, both
must
voluntary, kmds of repentance are free and
voluntary, not extorted or
not coacled
coacted, but proceeding of a willing mind. The pastor of

the church and teacher of the truth, I confess, doth severely
call upon all sinners without delay to repent themselves truly
for their sins committed: but yet he doth by express law
lay upon no man's neck any precise order, prescribing the
time, manner, place, or number ; but leaveth it free to every
one's choice, so that they do
the thing that is decent, according
to theprescript rule in the word of God. But
public repentance is for the most part wont to be proclaimed,
and openly received of the whole congregation, so often as

piety requireth it,and necessity compelleth it; and doth out
of the word of God therewithal declare what and how all
things must be done and decently ordered.
False and Again, it is manifest that there are two sorts of ance
repent-
true repen
taiice. more : for there is true false
repentance and ance.
repent-
The true repentance is that which he doth exercise
that is regenerate by the Spirit of God^; and is without all
colour and craft, containing in it all those things that I have
hitherto told you of. The scriptures contained in the
old
[^ in following he can, not in Lat.]
"
[2 carnis ac mundi, Lat. ; of the flesh and of the world.]

[3 in fide Jesu Christ!, Lat. omitted ; in the faith of Jesus Christ.]
OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. Ill
II.]
and new Testament do minister to us many examples of true

repentance, which I have at larjre laid fortliunto you in that
that I have ah'cady spoken. Those examples are excellent,
which we find of our parents Adam and Evah, of the people
of IsraePs often repenting-* in the thirty-third of Exodus, in
the book of Judges, and the books of Kings. Yet more
excellent than the rest is that of David in the twelfth chapter
of the second of Samuel, and i. Par. 21 ; and that of Manasses [i chron.
and Josias, ii. Heg. In the gospel also

xxxiii. and
xxxiv.
we hare to see the examples of Matthew, Zacheus, the sinful
woman, and Peter ; beside other more that here for shortness"'
sake I do wittingly pass over.
But falseor counterfeit repentance proceedeth of a feigned
heart : and though at a blush it seem to have the circum-
stances
of true repentance, yet for because it wanteth a
turning to God and a sound confidence in him, it is unsincere
and utterly false. For of all other it is most certain, that
the repentance of Judas Iscariot was false and counterfeit :
and yet he confessed his sin, he bare record to the truth,

and did with much anger and sorrow restore to the priests
the price which he took for the innocent blood ; but because
he did not wholly turn to Christ and put his whole confi-
dence
in his mercy and goodness, all his repentance was
without all fruit. And without all profit do hypocrites, and
those that are without the faith of the gospel, torment selves,
them-
and make a shew of outward repentance.
But they are most happy and in an heavenly case^. '
that True pent-
V Alt/ v
tents are ic
do with all their hearts truly repent with faith unfeigned :
an happy
*" ^
case,
. .
for they receive infinitegoodness of their most bountiful and

liberal God, who is at one again with penitents, and doth
now love them that before he did for their sins most heartily,
and yet most justly,hate and abhor. The punishments also,
which he determined to lay upon them, he turneth into
benefits : for he doth fill,and penitents as it were load"
with all manner

of good things, both temporal and eternal.
Now ye understand, dearly beloved, by my former sermons,
that God bestoweth so

great benefits upon us, not for our
works of repentance, but for Cludst his sake, in whom alone
the saints do trust, not putting any confidence in their works
["*often repenting, not in Lat.]

[ând in "
case, not in Lat.J [6 and " load, not in Lat.]
112 THE FOUKIH DECADE. [sEKM.
of repentance, how holy

and commendable soever they be.
For insomuch as the Father loveth Christ, and that we by
faith are graffed in him, God doth therefore love us, and
our
works do please him ; which works of ours when he doth
recompense, he crowneth not our works, as our own works, but
crowneth in us the grace which he himself hath given us'.
rnrepen- Again,
O
it must' needs be that unrepentants
1
are most
tants are
unhappy,
unhappy. They hear with what sins and transgressions
they have
offended God, and provoked his justvengeance
against themselves ; but therewithal they think not how to
prevent the wrath of God being readily imminent to take

vengeance of them", nor how to obtain his favour again.
What else therefore doth remain behind for them, but a most
certain and justdestruction both of body and soul, of all
their goods, and whatsoever things else they do most esteem
in this transitory life? It is good here to call to mind that
notable sentence of the Lord Jesus in the gospel, saying :

^Matt.
xi.2i, "Woe be to thee, Chorazin ; woe be to thee, Bethsaida : for
if the wonders had been done in the city of Tyre and Sidor,
that have been done in you, they would have repented long
ere this in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, it
shall be easier for Tyre, Sidon, and Sodoma in the day of
judgment,
io'"cT'* than for you." The parable^ of the unfruitful fig-
tree is known to all men, whereof mention is made in the
gospel, which withered up by the judgmentof God, to be an

example to teach and terrify all impenitent sinners. What
shall fall,may we think, upon the men of these days, that
do so boldly despise repentance now so many years so
^
plainly preached unto them, and beaten into their heads ?
Some there are, a God''s name^, that will outwardly for a
show's sake only seem to be desirous of the evangelical

truth : other are utter enemies, contemners, and persecutors
of the :
gospel and an infinite rabble thou shalt find of Lu-
cianists.Epicures, Nullifidians^,and Atheists. Now since all
[1 gratiam suam in nobis coronat, is all Bullinger
says.]
[2 sontibus, Lat. omitted; that are guilty.]
[3 The parable, not in Lat. Bullinger says, Notissima est omnibus
arbor ficus infrugifera.]
["*and "
heads, not in Lat.] [^ a God's name, not in Lat.]
[^ NuUifidians, not in Lat. Cf. Becon, ed. Park. Soc. Vol. iii. pp.
401, 503: and for Lucian, see Abp. Grindal's "Works, ed. Parker Soc.
p. 8.]
11.] OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF. 113
these do equally in a manner sweetly deride, or rather scoff-

ingly mock at, this hearty repentance, we cannot do other-
wise
but stillexpect and look when the terrible judgmentof
God's mighty arm should fall upon such unrepentant sinners.
Let them that wish well to themselves speedily turn to the
Lord, and consider with themselves continually and earnestly
how great the damage is, to keep the transitory joysof this
present life,and so to lose the eternal joysof the kingdom
of heaven. Let every one haste to do that which he
make Let not re-
be
111 1
pentance
iixiiii
perceiveth to be done the better by so much, by how much
deferred,
the sooner it is taken in hand.

Andyet I would not that any man should despair in his
sins,if so be that he doth not stubbornly despise the remedy
of repentance ; nor because of the facilityand gentleness of his
heavenly Father doth not maliciously,by the way of contempt,
defer repentance even tillthe very end. And if any man be
hindered by the flesh,the world, and the devil, so that it be
late or ere he apply his mind to repentance, neither would I
have him to fallto desperation.
But because I have somewhat more
now, long drawn out
this discourse of repentance than I had thought to have
done, that I may here at last make an end of my sermon,
I will instead of a conclusion recite unto you these golden
words of the holy martyr St Cyprian, bishop of Carthage,

where he writeth against Dcmetrian to this effectfollowing :
"
Believe and live; and ye, that now for a time do persecute
us,
with us for ever.
rejoice When ye are once out of this
life,then is there
place for no
repentance, nor any effect of
satisfaction. In this world the lifeis either won or lost. In
this world eternal salvation is provided for by the unfeigned
worshipping of God and the fruits of true faith. Let not any
man, either by his sins or years, be held back from coming to
lay hold upon salvation. So long yet as a man is in thisNorepen-
world, no late repentance doth come out of season. The too late.
entry is open unto God's indulgence ; and to them that seek
and understand the truth, the path to pardon is passing plain.
Thou, even at the very end and last gasp of this temporal life,
ask pardon for thy sins at the hands of him which is the true
and only God ; call to him for the confessionand faith of his
knowledge : to him that confesseth pardon is
granted, and
to him that believeth salvation is he even pre-
given, and
[bullinger,
III.J
114 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SEKM.H.
sently upon his departure doth pass to immortaHty. This
grace doth Christ communicate : this gift he doth attribute

unto his own mercy, by making death unto the
subject
triumph of the
redeeming him that believeth
cross, by
with the price of his blood, by reconcihng man to God the

Father, by quickening the mortal by the heavenly regene-
ration.
Let us all, if it be possible, follow him. Let us all
profess his
sign and to us the
sacrament. He openeth
way of life. He bringeth us to paradise again. He Icadcth
us to the kingdom of heaven. With him we shall always
live ; and being by him made the sons of God, we shall with
him always restored by the shedding
rejoice,
being of his
blood. We shall be Christians glorified together with Christ,
blessed in God, with perpetual pleasure always in
rejoicing
the sight of God, and evermore giving thanks to God. For
he cannot choose but be merry always and thankful, who,
being once in danger and fear of death, is now made secure
in immortality ^"
[} Credite et vivite : et qui

persequimini, in seternum
nos ad tempus
gaudete nobiscum. Quando istinc excessum
fuerit, nullus jam poeni-
tentise locus est, nullus satisfactionis efFectus : hie vita aut amittitur,
aut tenetur; hie saluti seternce cultu Dei et fructu fidei providetur.
Nee quisquam aut peccatis I'etardetur, aut
aiinis, quo minus veniat ad
consequendam salutem. isto In
adliuc mundo manenti pcenitentia
nulla sera est. Patet ad indulgentiara Dei aditus, et quserentibus atque
intelligentibus veritatem facilis accessus est. Tu sub ipso licet exitu
et vitse temporalis occasu pro delictis roges ; et Deum, qui unus et
verus est, confessione et flde agnitionis ejusimplores. Venia confitenti
datur, et credent! indulgentia salutaris de divina pietate conceditur ;
et ad immortalitatem sub ipsa morte transitur. Hane gratiam Christus

impertit, et hoc munus misericordiaj sure tribuit, subigendo mortem,
trophajo crucis, redimendo credentem pretio sanguinis sui, reconciliando
hominem Deo Patri, vivificando mortalem regeneratione coelesti. Hunc,
si fieri potest, sequamur omnes
Sacramento hujus
et signo censea-
;
mur : hie nobis

viam vitfB aperit, hie ad paradisum reduces facit, hie
ad ccelorum regna perdueet. Cum ipso semper vivemus, faeti per
ipsum filiiDei : cum ipso exultabimus semper, ipsius cruore reparati.
Erimus Christiani cum Cliristo simul gloriosi, de Deo Patro beati, de
perpetua voluptate Icetantes semper in conspectu Dei, et agentes Deo
gratias semper. Neque poterit nisi et Isetus esse semper

enim et gratus,
qui cum morti fuisset obnoxius, factus est de immortalitate securus.- "
Cyprian. Tract, ad Demetrian. fin. p. 196. Oxon. 1G82.]

TO- THE MOST RENOWNED^ PRINCE
EDWARD THE SIXTH,

KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE, LORD OF IRELAND,
PRINCE OF WALES AND CORNWALL, DEFENDER
OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH,
GRACE AND PEACE FROM GOD THE FATHER, THROUGH

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
The promise, that not long ago^ I made to your most
royal I do now perform, offering here the other

majesty,
eight sermons of the fourth Decade, which I dedicate unto
your royal majesty,that you may have two decades

of me
of sermons full and wholly finished. In March I sent twelve

sermons unto you, which were favourably accepted of
your
royal as I understand by the letters of that godly
majesty,
and worthy learned man, Master J. Hooper^ the most vigilant
bishop of Glocester, my brother and reverend fellow-father
in Jesus Christ : who also by the commendation of your royal
good will to me-ward hath heartened me on, so that
majesty's
now, with confidence and liberty than before, I
far more
send unto your majestythis other part of my work, en-

treating
of most weighty and holy matters. In this my
dedication I respect nothing else but that which I declared
in my former epistle; to wit, that I, according to the gift
that the Lord hath endued me withal, may help forward and
advance the state of christian religion, now again happily
springing up in the famous realm of England by your royal
majesty'sgood beginnings and counsels of your worthy
nobles. All they of every nation that is in Christendom,
which do truly believe in Christ Jesus, do heartily rejoice,

on
your majesty's behalf and the behalf of your most flou-
rishing
kingdom, for this renovation of true rehgion ; and
do earnestly pray to Christ the Lord, that he will happily
bring to a
good end the thing that you in the fear of him
have happily begun.
Your hath
royal majestyverily adventured upon a work '^ll'^\^
[2 See Orig. Lett. ed. Park. Soc. pp. 671, 673.]
[3 Serenissimo, Lat.] ["*See Vol. ii. p. 16, note
4.]
[sOrig. Lett. ed. Parker Soc. Vol. i. p. 88.]
116 DEDICATION TO KING EDWARD THE SIXTH.
mind to both very great and full of troubles : but he will never fail
churches
your godly endcavours, that said,
"
Behold, I am with you
look for the for evor unto the end of the world." And now also, even
determi-
as it hath been always from the firstbeginning of the church,

cm.'ndi"^^
Matt, xxviii.
^^^QYQarc many lets and great impediments, that are
object
holy and wholesome intents, doing what they
against most
can to hinder and trouble the reformation of religion^: and
among other stops this is one of the greatest, that no small

number even of the wisest sort do say, that there ought no
such haste to be made upon private authority, but that the
determination of the general council in controversies of re-
ligion
must needs be stayed for, and altogether looked after ;
it is not lawful for
without the judgmentwhereof, say they,
a kingdom 2,
much less for any other commonweal, to alter
any one point in rehgion once received and hitherto used,

jer. viii. But the prophets and apostles do not send us to the councils
of priests or elders, but to the word of God : yea, in Jeremy

we read, "IIow say ye. We are wise, we have the law of the
Lord among us ? Truly, the lying pen of the scribes have
wrote a lie^. The wise have been ashamed, they were afraid
and were taken : for lo, they have cast out the word of the
Lord ; what wisdom then can there be among them ?" Again,
Lukeix. in the Gospel we read, No man, "
that layeth his hand to the
is fit
plough, and looketh back, for the kingdom of God."
Therefore the authority of the prophets and evangelists giveth
counsel, fully to absolve and perfectly to end the reformation
of rehgion once begun with the fear of God, out of or by
the word of God ; and not to look for or stay upon councils,
which are directed, not by the word of God, but by the
affectionsand motions of men.

AVhatcoun- For the late examples of some ages within the space of
fn thcso 400 last ycars or thereabout do suflicientlyteach us
thesV'iatCT
Sated. what we may look for by the determination of general coun-
cils.
The causes
of councils of old were the corruption
either of doctrine or else of the teachers, or
else the ruin of
ecclesiasticaldiscipline. And good and zealous men have
strongly cried now by the space of 500 years and more, that
[1 coeptam, Lat. omitted ; which is begun.]

[2 ne regno quidem, Lat. ; not even for a kingdom.]
[3 the false pen of the scribes Avorketh for falsehood. Marg. Auth.
Ver.]
OF THE REFORMING OF CHURCHES. 117
there crept into the cliurcli superstitions,errors,

are and
abuses ; that the salt of the earth is unsavoury, that is, that
the ministers of the churches are by sloth, ignorance, and
wickedness become unseasonable; and that all discipline in
the church is fallen to ruin. Bernard Clarcvallcnsis', bcin"^^
one
among many, is a notable "witness of the thing ^ and
condition. And for that cause there have been many councils
of priests celebrated, at the calling together of the bishop of
Rome, together with the mutual aid of many kings and
princes. But what became of them, what was done in them,
and what small amendment or correction of doctrine, teachers,

and discipline there was by them obtained, the thing itself
(the more it is to be lamented)doth plainly declare. For
the more that councilsassembled, the more
were did super-
stition
and error prevail in doctrine, abuse in ceremonial
rites,pride, riot, covetousness, and all kind of corruption in
the teachers or priests,and a foul blurring out of all honest
discipline. For such men were made presidents of the coun-
cils,
as had need firstof all themselves either to be brought
mto a better order, or else to be utterly excommunicate out
of the congregation of the saints ; and they being presidents

did in the councils handle causes neither lawful nor lawfully.
For the word of God had among them neither due authority
nor dignity ; neither did they admit to the examination and
discussing of causes those men whom it was decent to have
chiefly admitted, but them whom they themselves did think
good to like of; and in them they sought not the glory of
God and the safeguard of the church, but sought themselves,
that is, the glory and pleasures of this transitory world.
Therefore in the holding of so many general councils we see
no amendment or reformation in the church obtained, but

rather errors,
abuses, and the kingdom and tyranny of the
priests confirmed and augmented^.
And even at this day, although we would wink and not what
see it, yet wechoose but even
cannot with our hands feel this'day may
what we may look and hope for in a ^general council. There general
councils.
shall at this day no council have any authority, unless it be
["*Beraard largely complams of the pride and corruption of the

clergy, De Offic. Episc. capp. vii. ix; in Cantic. Serm. x. " 3, Lxxvii.
" 1.]
[5 hujus rei, Lat. ; and condition, not in Lat.]
[c See Bullinger Von den Conciliis, Par. ii. cap. 11. Zurich, 1561.]
118 DEDICATION TO KIXG EDWARD THE SIXTH.
lawfully (astliey expound lawfully) called together. iS'one

seemetli to be lawfully called together but that which the
bishop of Rome doth call together, and that which is holden
according to the ancient^ custom and laws received; namely,

that wherein they alone do sit, and have, as they call it,
^
deciding voices, to whom power is permitted to determine
and give sentence in the council; and to them who shall
think it an heinous crime, and directly contrary to the oath
that is given them, to do once so much as think, much more
to speak, anything against the bishop and see of Rome,

against the decrees of the fathers, and constitutions of the
councils.
What therefore may you look for in such a council? That
forsooth which I told you that now by the space of 400
years and more the afflictedchurch of God, to the detriment
of godliness, hath seen and felt; namely, that the sincere

doctrine of Christ being trode under foot, and holy discipline
utterly oppressed, we see that every day more and more, with
the great and intolerable-^tyranny of the see and church of
Rome, there do increase and are confirmed unsound and
faulty doctrine, most filthyabuses, and too too great hcentious-
ness and wicked hving of the priests. They forsooth do cry,
that it is an heresy to accuse the pope of error, in the chest
of whose breast all heavenly doctrine is laid up and contained.
They cry that all the decrees of the apostolical see must be
received even so as if they were confirmed by the very voice
of Peter himself. They cry that it is a wicked thing to move
any controversy, or to call into doubt
the doctrine and cere-
monies
received and used in the church of Rome ; especially
touching their sacraments, whereof they to their advantage
do make filthy merchandise. They cry that the church of
Rome hath power judge all men, but that no
to man hath
any authority to judge of her judgment. There are in the

decretals most evident canons that do set out and urge these
things, as I have told them^ Now what manner reformation
shall think that they are
we likely to admit, which stand so
stifflyto the defence of these things ? Truly, they would
rather that Christ with his gospel, and the true church his
spouse, should wholly perish, than they would depart one inch
from their decrees, rites, authorities, dignities,wealth, and
[1 hucusque consucto, Lat.] [2residendi, Lat.]

[3 imo intoloranda, Lat.] [4 as I have told them, not in Lat.]
OF THE REFODMIXG OF CHURCHES. 119
pleasures. They verily come into the council, not to be judged

of others, that they may amend those things which even their
own consciences and^ all the world do say would be amended;
but they come^ to judgeand yoke all other men, to keep
stilltheir power and authority, and to overthrow and take

away whatsoever withstandeth their lust and tyranny. For
afore, there were sent out horrible thunders
ag-ainst the ac-
cusers
adversaries of the see apostolic; that is, of the
or
papisticalcorruption: after, followed the hot bolts of that

thunder, even sentences definitiveof excommunication. The
secular power hath by the space of thirty years and
now
more been called on,

and persecution hath been everywhere
raised up against guiltless Christians^ not for committing
heinous crimes and defending
naughtiness, but for inveighing
against mischiefs and mischievous men, and for requiring the
reformation of the church : and yet even at this day most
cruel edicts are out, and cruelty is exercised every day more
and more, against them that confess the name of Christ : yea,
such is their impudency and brasen-faced boldness, they dissemble
not that the council, if any be celebrated, shall must
be called for the rooting out of heresies ;
yea, they do openly
profess,that the council, once held at Trent, was to this end
Now since these things more
assembled. clearly than the
sun are
perceived to be most true, thou shalt, most holy king,
do wisely and religiously,if,
without looking for the deter-
mination
of a general council, thou shalt proceed to reform
the churches in thy kingdom according to the rule of the
books of both Testaments,
which we do rightly believe,being
written by the inspirationof the Holy Ghost, to be the very
word of God.
But that it is lawful for every christianchurch, much
now, it is lawfui
more for every notable christian kingdom,

without the advice
O '
christian
church to
C 1 i 1 ^ -r^
the church
ot Eome thereof, in matters ^"^foT'î"^^
or
and the members out of order.
'
,
of religion depraved by them, wholly to make a reformation

according to the rule of God's most holy word, it is thereby
manifest, because Christians are the congregation, the church,
or
subjectsof their king, Christ, to whom they owe by all
means most absolute and perfect obedience. Now the Lord
[5 adeoque, Lat. ; and

so.]
[6 conabuntur, Lat. ; they will use every
effort.]
[7 homines, Lat. ; men. The bull of Leo X. against Luther was
issued June 15,
1520.]
gave his church a charge of reformation : he commended unto

it the sound doctrine of the gospel, together with the hiwful
use of his holy sacraments : he also condemned all false doc-
trine,
that I mean that is contrary to the gospel : he damned
the abuse and profanation of the sacraments ; and delivered
to us the true worship of God, and proscribed the false. There-
fore
Christians, obeying the laws and commandments of their
prince, do utterly remove or take away all superstition,and do
restore, establish,and preserve the true religion, according to
the manner that Christ their prince appointed them. lie
A'erilyis a fool or a
madman, which saith that the church
of Christ hath none authority to correct such errors, vices,
and abuses as do daily creep into it^ And yet the Romish
tyranny hath so bewitched the eyes of many men, that they
^
think that they cannot lawfully do any thing but what it
pleaseth Rome to give them leave to do.
ecclesiastical The
histories make mention of provincial synods, held in sundry
provinces, wherein there were handled matters of faith and

the reformation of the churches, and yet no mention once
made of the bishop of Rome. What may be thought of that
moreover, that in certain synods, not heretical but orthodox-
astical and catholic, thou mayest find some that were ex-
communicated
for appealing from their own churches unto
the church of Rome^"? St Cyprian, writing to Cornelius^ the
bishop of Rome, doth say: "Since that it is ordained by us all,
and that it is justand right, that every man's cause should be
heard there where the crime is committed; and that to every
several pastor is appointed a portion of the flock, which every

one
govern, and make account of his doings before the
must
Lord: it is expedient, verily, that those, over whom we have
the charge, should not gad to and fro, by that means with
their subtle and deceitful petulancy to make the concord of
bishops to be at jar; but to plead their causes there where
they may have their accusers present, and witnesses of their
crime committed ^"
[1 as into it,not in Lat.] [2 hie, Lat. omitted ; in this matter.]
"
[3 Bingham, Book ix. chap. 1. " 11 ; and xvii. chap. 5. y^14.]

["*bcato Cornelio, Lat.]
[5 Nam cum statutum sit omnibus nobis, ct a;quum sit pariter ac
justum,ut uniuscujusque causa illicaudiatur, ubiest crimen admissum;
et singulis pastoribus portio grogis sit adscripta, quam regat unusquis-
que ct gubernct, vationcm sui actus Domino redditurus : oportet utiquo
cos quibus pra?sumus non circumcursare, ncc episcoporum concordiam
OF THE REFORMING OF CHURCHES. 121
But letting pass the testimonies of men, wo do now

come to the testimonies in the book of God. The most holy Howking
king Josias, most godly prmce, may alone in this ease teach
you what to do and how to do, with the warrant and authority
of God himself. He by the diligentreading of the holy book
of God, and by the contemplation of things present, and the
manner of worshipping God that then was used, did under-
stand,
that his ancestors did greatly and very far err from
the plain and simple truth; for which cause he calleth together
the princes and other estates of his kingdom, together with
all the priests,to hold and celebrate a council with them. In
that council he standeth not long disputing whether the ex-amples
of the elders ought rather to be followed, or God's
commandment simply received: whether he ought rather to
believe the church, or the scripture : and whether all the
judgmentof religion ought to be referred to the high priest.
laying abroad the book of the law, he submitteth both
For
himself and all his unto the sacred scripture. Out of the book
of the law both he himself doth learn, and biddetli all his to
learn, what thing it is that pleaseth God, namely, that which
was commanded and learned in the reading of the law of God.
And presently he gave charge, that all men should do and
execute that, not havino-
regard to the ancient custom, or
anv
to the church'' that was at that time : he made all subject to
the word of God. Which deed of his is so commended, that,

next after David, he is preferred before allthe kings of Judah
and Israel.
Now your royal cannot follow any better or safer Faith
majesty cannot
counsel than this, considering that it proceedeth from God, iût by the
and that it is most fit for the cause which is even in

now "^'"''-
hand. The disputation is of the reformation of religion,and

the faith of Christ. You know that that doth spring
true
from heaven, namely, that it is taught by the word of God,
and poured into our hearts by the Holy Ghost ; for Paul saith:
Cometh by
Faith hearing, and hearing by the word
"
of Rom. x.
Christ." Therefore as true faith is not grounded upon the

"word of man, so is it not taught or planted by the same. For
in another place the same apostle saith :
"
My preaching was i cor. ii.
cohsercntem sua subdola et fallaci temeritate collidere; sed agere illic

causam suam, ubi et accusatorcs habere et testes sui criminis possint.
0pp. Epist. lix. p. 136. Oxon. 1682.]
"Cyprian.
[6 ipsius etiam ecclesite,Lat.]
not in the enticingwords of man's wisdom, but in the shewino-

of the Spirit and of power; that your faith might not be in the
wisdom of man, but in the power of God." Not without good
cause, therefore, do we refuse the traditions of men, and turn
only to the doctrine of the word of the Lord, without which it
is assuredly certain that there is no doctrine nor any foun-
dation
of true faith.
The
Neither are they worthy to be heard, who think that the
scrip-
cauouical scriptures are not plain enough, full enough, or

ficlentiy'"'
sufficicutonough, to minister a perfect platform of reformation,
full platform
They blaspheme the Spirit of God, imputing unto it obscure-

^^formthe
ness and imperfection, which faultsno profane writer can well
abide to hear of. St Paul in defence of the truth saith :
2Tim. iii. "All scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable to
doctrine, to reprove, to correction, to instruction which is in
righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, instructed

imto works."
all good What now, I pray you, is omitted in
these words, that may seem to appertain to a most absolute
reformation? What, I beseech you, have those impudent
fellows to say against this? Proceed,
therefore, proceed,
most holy king, to imitate the most godly princes, and the
infalliblerule of the holy scripture : proceed, I say, without
staying for man's authority, by the most true and absolute

instrument of truth, the book of God's most holy word, to
reform the church of Christ in thy most happy England'.

The Lord Jesus, the head and mighty prince of this
2,
church preserve and lead thee his most faithful
worshipper in the way of his truth until
the end, to the glory of his name, and
the good estate and welfare of
the whole christian church.
At Tigurc, in the month
of August, the year

of our Lord,
1550.
Your royal most dutifullybounden,

majesty's
Henry Bullinger,
Minister of tlic church at
Tigurc in Switzerland.
[1 ecclesias Christi Anglicanas, Lat. ; most happy, not in Lat.]

[2 his church, ed. 1577; ecclesifcsuae, Lat.]
THE
OTHER EIGHT SERMONS
OF THE
FOURTH DECADE,
WRITTEN BY
HENRY BULLINGER.
OF GOD; OF THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, AND OF

THE DIVERSE WAYS HOW TO KNOW HIM;
THAT GOD IS ONE IN SUBSTANCE,

AND THREE IN PERSONS.
THE THIRD SERMOK
I HAVE hitherto in thirty-two sermons discoursed upon the
word and the lawful exposition of the same

of God, ; upon
I have
christian faith, the love of God and our neighbour.
of the law of nature, of man's law, and God's
also spoken
law, and of the parts of God's law, namely, the moral, the
ceremonial, and the judicial laws ; of the use of the law, and
of the fulfilling and abrogation of the same ; of the likeness
and difference betwixt the two testaments and people, the
old and of christian liberty; of offences; of the effect^

the new;
and merits of good works ; of sin, and the sundry sorts

thereof: and also of the grace of God, or the gospel of
Jesu Christ, in whom our heavenly Father hath given us all
things belonging to life and eternal salvation : finally, I have
treated of repentance, and of the things that do especially

seem to belong thereunto. And for because our purpose is
to dispute discreetly
upon the principal points of christian
in the premises have heard
rehgion'*, and that^ we often
mention made of God, of the knowledge and worship of God,
of Jesus Christ, of the Holy Ghost, of good and evil spirits,
of the church, of prayer, of the sacraments, and such like

holy things; since we are now come to an end of those former
points, necessity itself doth here require, that we should

speak somewhat now of all and every one of these latter
[3 ratione, Lat.] [* religionis nostree, Lat.]

[5 prseterea, Lat. ; and more
especially.]
principlesaccording to the holj scripture, so far forth as the

Lord shall give me grace and ability to do the same.
Concerning God there were of old many erroneous
con- opinions,
o'lTniOTs
of people only, but
cerningGod. tho Tudcr in the
jjot amoug sort even
"whole pack of philosophers, and conventicles of false Chris-

tians.
As touching the philosophers, that ancient
and learned
writer, TertuUian, was wont to say, that 'philosophers are
the patriarchs of heretics^"' and touching false Christians the
apostle John They went out from us, but they were
"
1 joim ii. IP.
said,
not of us ; for if they had been of us, they would have remained
with us." Neither do I see what gain you should
get by it, if I should proceed to reckon up unto you all their
opinions. It is good perhaps to know wherein they^ erred,
lest also do strike upon the same
we
rock that they did.
Therefore if any that have a desire unto it do
wish to see
the opinions of the heathen sort and of heretics^ concernino-
God, let them search Plutarch in his Placitis Philoso. lib. i.
cap. 7. or in other heathen writers ; or* in Cyril's first book

Contra Julianum ; and^ in the 4. cap. Dogmatum vel clefi-
nitionum Ecclesiast.^ I wilPat this time trouble the attentive
Whereupon ears and minds of the godly hearers with that burden. That
the diversity ",. . " . . . . . .
"
of opinions cliversitv 01 opmious 13 derived irom none other fountain than

concerning i i i i
Irom the boldness and
Go^donse, unskilfulncss of which men,
not are
ashamed of their own device and brain to add and apply '^ to
trul'know-^
Cod the things from which he is most far and free. And
mufbe""
fetched.
now, that here I may not stick long in declaring the narrow
straitness and misty darkness of wit ; who, I pray you, man's
is able with his understanding to conceive the being^ of God,

when as indeed no man did ever fully understand of vsrhat
fashion the soul of man is, of what sort many other things
are that be in man's body, and of what manner substance'*'
the sun
made ? There are given many reasons
and moon are
of natural philosophy ; but the work of God doth stillabide

more
great and wonderful than thafcthe wit or speech of man
[I See Vol. IT. p. 407, note 5.] [2alii,Lat. ; others.]

[3 exercitationes exterorum, et hsereticorum sententias, Lat.]
["*aut ctiam, Lat. ; or even.] [5 denique, Lat. ; lastly.]
[*5A treatise among tho Avorks of Augustine.]
\j nolo, Lat. ; I will not.}
[8 affingere, BuUinger's one word.] p essentiam, Lat.]
[10So ed. 1577 ; what manner of substance, 1587.]
III.] OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 125
is able to comprehend or express it. Let no man therefore,

that goeth about to know certainty of God, descend into
any
himself to search him out with thoughts of his own^'; neither
let him ground his opinion upon men's determinations and
^2
weak definitions for otherwise he shall always worship the
.
invention of his own heart, mere folly, trifles and foolish

phantasies. But on the other side again, the man cannot
choose but think rightly, judgetruly, and speak well of God,
that attributeth nothing to himself, deviseth nothing of his
own brain,
followeth the toys of other men's
nor inventing ;
but in all things giveth ear to the word of God, and follow-
eth
'3.
always his holy revelation Therefore let this stand as
it were for a continual rule, that God cannot be rightly
known but by
his word ; and that God is to be received and
believed to be such an one as he revealeth himself unto us
in his holy word. For no creature verily can better tell
what,
and what kind of one God is, than God himself.
Now since this God doth in his word, by the workman- xiiat there is
ship of the world, by the holy scriptures,and by his oracles

uttered by the mouth of the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles,
^*
yea, and the very minds and consciences of men, testify
that he is,therefore did the kingly prophet David ^^
say: "The Psai.xiv.
fool hath said in his heart. There is no God." For he must
needs
be an ass or a fool,which
denieth the thing that is evident to
all men in the world which are not beside their wits,
namely,
that there is a God : considering that even Cicero, an heathen
author, in his book de Natura Deotmm, doth "It is say^^
bred and born together with men, and graffed in their hearts,
to think that there is a God^^." Truly, they that deny God
do deny him whom nevertheless they fear; and therefore by
that fear they confess that he is, by that means convincing
themselves of lying and falsehood.
Again, this is to be noted ; that in demanding is
who and a measure
what God is,although that question is made doth arise demLding"
and
and inquiring
what Gcd is.
[11to scarcli his own, the translator's

addition.]
"
[12aut humano innitatur judicio, Lat.]

[13revelationem Dei, Lat.]
[11in the very minds, ed. 1577 ; in animis denique, Lat.]
[15merito, Lat. ; with good reason, omitted.]
[16inter aha, Lat. ; among other things, omitted.]
[17Cic. de Nat. Deor. Lib. i. cap. 17.]
126 THE FOURTH DECADE. 1_SERM.
even by the beating out and discussing of the scriptures, yet

a measure is to be kept and in any case observed. For to go
about over curiously to inquire after,search out, and seek^ the

very eternal being of God, is both perilous and also flatly
forbidden. Salomon crieth, As it is not good to eat much
Prov. "
XXV.
honey ; so he, that is an over curious searcher out of God's

2."
shall be confounded of his glory Before that sin-
majesty,
Exod. gular and notable communication, wherein our God in the
xix.
mount Sinai talked^ with the whole people of Israel,it is said

to Moses : Set bounds unto the people round about the
"
mountain, and say unto them. Take heed to yourselves that

ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it.
Whosoever the mount, let him die the death," "c.
toucheth
Lo here, it was present death to pass the limits or bounds
prescribed. Therefore our studies are and ought to be defi-
nite,
not infinite*. Truly we
read in many places of the
holy scriptures, that the most entire and excellent friends of
God stood amazed trembling, often as God in any outward
so
shew did of his own accord ofi'erhimself unto their eyes.

I need not to busy myself too much in reckoning up examples.
Ye know how Abraham behaved himself in the talk which he
had with God, Gen. xviii. Ye know what the parents of
Gedeon said in the book of the Judges^ ; and what Helias
spake, 3 Reg. xix. Peter, after that he by the miraculous
taking of the great draught of fishesdid understand that Christ
Lukev. was more than a man, cried out, saying: "Go out from
me, 0 Lord, for I am a sinful man." Therefore the saints,if
in any other matters belonging to God, then in this especially,
are modest, and rehgious; understanding that his
humble,
eternal and incomprehensible power and unspeakable majesty
are altogether uncircumscriptible'',and cannot be compre-
hended
in any name whatsoever.
The name of
Very eloquoutly, truly, and godly doth Tertullian in his
?p"eaklbie"
book De Trinitate say : ' The proper name of God cannot
uttered, be because it cannot be conceived. For that is called
mali'futtM-
ance.
by a name, that is conceived by the condition of its own
[1 inspicere, Lat.] [2 See Vol. i. p. 65, note 6.]
[3 congreditur, Lat.] [^not infinite,not in Lat.]

[5 So liatin also, Gedeonis, for Samson. Both Gideon and Manoah
expressed the
same apprehension. Judg. vi. 22, and xiii.22.]
[6 nulla definitione, Lat. ; by any definition.]

OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 127
Ill]
nature : for a is the significantnotifying of that thino*

name
bo conceived by the name. But "when the thing,

which may
it cannot be rightly
which is handled, is of such sort that
conceived by our very senses and understanding, how shall
it be rightly named by an apt term and fit nomination?
which, while it is beyond understanding, must needs also be
above the significancy of the term whereby it is named : so
that when God upon certain causes or occasions doth annex
or declare to in words, we may think and know
us his name
that the very property of the name is not expressed so much

in words, as a certain significancyis set down, to which while
men in prayers do run, they may seem to bo able by it to
call upon and obtain the mercy of God'^.' And again he

of him
*
saith : Concerning God and those things that are
and in him, neither is the mind of man able to conceive what

they be, how great they be, and of what fashion they be ;
neither doth the eloquence of man's mouth utter in speech
words in any point answerable unto this For to

majesty^.
the thinking upon and uttering out of his
majestyall elo-
quence
is mute and dumb, and the whole mind is too too
little. For it is greater than the mind; neither can it be
conceived great it is : because, if it can be conceived,

how
then must it needs be less than man's mind, wherein it may
be comprehended. It is also greater than all speech, and
cannot be spoken ; because if it may be spoken, then is it

lesser than speech, by which, if it be spoken, it may
man's
be compassed and made to be understanded. But whatsoever
may be thought of him shall stillbe less than he : and what-

soever
in speech is shewed of him, being compared with him,
[7 Ex quo efFectum est, ut nee nomen Dei proprium possit edici,

quoniam non possit nee concipi. Id enim nomine continetur, quidquid
etiam ex naturae suae conditione comprehenditur. Nomen enim signifi-
cantia est ejusrei quae comprehendi potuit ex nomine. At quando id,
de quo agituv, tale est, ut condigne nee ipsis intellectibus colligatur ;
quomodo appellationis digne vocabulo pronuntiabitur? Quod dum

extra intellectum est, etiam appellationis significantiam
supra sit
necesse est : ut merito quando suum
nomen Deus ex quibusdam ratio-
nibus et occasionibus et prsefert,non tam legitimam proprietatem
adjicit
appellationis sciamus quam esse depromptam,
significantiam quandam
constitutam, ad quam dum homines decurrunt, Dei misericordiam per
ipsam impetrare posse videantur." Lib. de Trinitate. cap. iv. Tertuli.
0pp. Par. 1664, p. 709.]
[8 his, ed. 1577.]
128 THE FOUllTH DECADE. [SEKM.
shall be much less than he. For in silence to ourselves we
may partly perceive him : but as he is, in words to express

him, it is altogether impossible. For if you call him Light,
then do you rather name a creature of his than him, but
him express not : or if you call him Virtue, then do
you
you rather name his power than him, but him you declare
not : or if you call him Majesty, then do you rather name
his honour than him, but him you describe not. And why
should I, in running through every several title,prolong the
time ? I will at once declare it all. Say all of him what-
soever
thou canst, and yet thou shalt stillrather name some-
thing
of his than himself. For what canst thou fitly speak
or think of him, that is greater than all thy words and
senses ? Unless it be, that after one manner, and that too
as we can, capacity will serve,
as our and as our standing
under-
will let us, we shall in mind conceive what God is,
if we shall think that he is that which cannot be understood,
nor can possibly come into our thought what kind of thing,
and how great it is. For as at the seeing of the brightness

of the sun the sight of our eyes doth so dazzle and wax dim,
that our sight cannot behold the very circleof the same by
reason that it is overcome of the brightness of the beams
that are it;
faretliit with the sight
even so
objectagainst
of our
mind in all our thoughts of God ; and by how much
more she settleth herself to consider of God, by so much
more is she Winded in the light of her cogitation. For (to
repeat the same thing again)what canst thou fitly think of

him that is above all loftiness,higher than all height, deeper
than all depth, lighter than all light, clearer than all clear-
ness,
brighter than all brightness, stronger than all strength,
more virtuous than all virtue, fairer than all fairness, truer
than all truth, greater than all greatness, mightier than all
might, richer than all riches, wiser than all wisdom, more
liberal than all liberality, better than all goodness, juster
than all justice,
gentler than all gentleness?
and For all
kinds of virtues must needs be less than he that is the
Father and God of all virtues : so that God may truly be
said to be such certain being as to which nothing may be
a
compared. For he is above all that may be spoken^" Hi-

therto
have I cited the words of TertuUian.
[1 De lioc ergo ac de eis qua3 sunt ipsius ct in eo sunt, ncc mens
hominis qua; sint, quanta sint, et qualia sint, dignc concipere potest,
III.]
Although now these things arc so, and that no tongue tmc forms
either of angels or of men can fully express what, who, and "fallowing
is incom-
of what manner God is, seeing that his
majesty prehensible
and unspeakable ; yet the scripture, which is the
word of God, attempering itselfto our imbecility,doth minister
ncc cloquentia sermonis humani requabilcm majestatis ejusvirtutem
sermonis cxpromit. Ad cogitundam enim et ad eloquendam illius
majos-
tatem, et oloquentia omnis merito muta est, et mens omnis exigua est.
Major est enim mento ipsa, ncc cogitari possit quantus sit; nc, si
potuerit cogitari, mento huinana minor sit, qua concipi possit. Major
estquoquo omnisormonc, necedici possit; ne, si potuerit edici,]iuniano
sermone sit, quo quum
minor edicitur, et circumiri ct colligi possit.
Quidquid enim de illo cogitatum fucrit, minus ipso erit ; ct quidquid
enuntiatum fucrit, minus i!lo comparatum circum ipsum erit. Scntiro

enim ilium taciti aliquatcnus possumus; ut autem ipso est, sermone
exi)licarc non possumus. Sive enim ilium dixeris lucem, creaturam

ipsius magis quam ipsum dixeris; ipsum non exprcsscris: sive ilium
dixeris virtutem, potentiam ipsius magis quam ipsum dixeris, et dc-
prompseris: sive dixeris majestatem, honorem ijDsiusmagis quam ilium

ipsum descripseris. Et quid per singula quceque percurrens longum
facio ? scmel totum explicabo. Quidquid omnino de illo retuleris,
rem aliquam ipsius magis et virtutem quam ipsum explicaveris. Quid
enim de eo condigne aut dicas aut sentias, qui omnibus ct sermonibus
et sensibus major est? Nisi quod uno modo, et hoc ipsum
quomodo
possumus, quomodo capimus, quomodo intelligere licet,quid sit Dcus,
mcnte capiemus ; si cogitavcrimus id ilium esse, quod quale, et tum quan-
sit non possit intelligi, ne in ipsam quidem cogitationem possit
venire. Nam si ad solis aspectvmi oculorum nostrorum acies hcbcscit,
ne orbem ipsum
obtusus inspiciat obviorum sibi superatus fulgore
radiorum ; hoc idem mentis acies patitur in cogitatione omni de Deo,
et quanto ad considerandum Deum plus intcnditur, tanto magis ipsa
cogitationis suae luce cajcatur. Quid enim de eo (utiterum repetam)
condigne dicas, qui est sublimitate omni sublimior, ct altitudine omni
altior, et profundo omni profundior, et omni luce lucidior, et omni
claritate clarior, omni splendore splendidior, omni robore robustior,

omni virtute viritior, omni pulchritudino pulchrior, veritatc omni
verier, et fortitudine omni fortior, et
majestateomni major,et omni
potentia potentior, et omnibus divitiis ditior, omni prudcntia pruden-
tior, et omni benignitate benignior, omni bonitate melior, omni jus-
titiajustior, omni dementia clementior ? Minora enim sint necesse est
omnium virtutum
genera eo ipso qui virtutum omnium et Deus et
parens est : ut vere dici possit, id Deus esse, quod ejusmodi est cui
comparari nihil potest. Super omne est enim quod dici potest. Ibid. "
cap. n. pp. 707, 708. This treatise, de Trinitate, is found among the
works of Tertullian, but is an abridgment of a book of TertuUian's by
Novatian.]
[bULLINGER,
III.]
unto US some forms, and phrases of speech, by them

means,
to bring us to some such knowledge of God as may at least-

wise
sufficeus while we live in this world : so yet notwith-

standing
that still we should think that the thing that is
incomprehensible cannot be defined, but that by those phrases
an occasion is only given, by which we are to be brought to
greater things through the illumination of the Spirit; and
that we should in this disputation have stillbefore the eyes
of our mind that true and assured sentence of the eternal
Exod. xxxiii. God unto his servant Moses, saying : Thou canst not see
"
my face ; for no and live." For when

man shall see me
we are once departed out of this life,and are unburdened
of this mortality and mortal frailty,then shall we see the

ijohniii.
majesty of God; for the apostle St John said: "We know
that when he appcareth, we shall be like unto him ; for we
shall see him as he is," And to these let us annex the

) Cor. xiii. words of the apostle Paul, where he saith : *'
Now we see in
12
^
a glass, even in a dark speaking shall see face ; but then we
to face." Therefore let no man go beyond the limited bounds,

or prevent the time appointed, nor yet presume by wicked
^
boldness and curiosity in this life to behold the face, that
is, the very essence or being, of God. Let that revelation
of God suffice every one which God himself voucheth safe

in his word to open unto us, namely, so much as he of
his goodness thinketh necessary and profitable for us to
know. And I do here with warrant say, that that wisdom is
the true wisdom, which will not in this matter go about to
know or savour more than the eternal wisdom doth teach to
know.
The names of Tho firstand chicfcst way to know God is derived out
of the very names of God attributed unto him in the holy
scripture. Those names are many and of sundry sorts,
because his virtue, his wisdom, I mean, his goodness, justice,
and power are altogether infinite. I will reckon up and

expound unto you, according to my skill the most excellent
and usual among the rest.
Jehovah. Among all the names of God that is the most excellent
which they call Tetragrammaton, that is (ifwe may so
say),
the four-lettered name : for it is compounded of the four
[1 in a riddle. Marg. auth. ver.]
[2 in hac carne et, Lat. omitted; in this flesh and.]
OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, 131
III.]
spiritual letters, and is called Jehovah. It is derived of

the verb-substantive,Hovah, before -which they put Jod and
make it Jehovah, that is to say, Being, or, I am ; as he that
is
avTovcria, a being of himself, having his lifeand being not
of any other, but of himself; lacking nobody's aid to make
him to be, but giving to be unto all manner of things ; to
wit, eternal God, without beginning and ending, in whom we
live,we move, and have our being. To this do those words
especially belong, which we find to have passed betwixt God
and Moses in the third chapter of Exodus : And Moses said

"
to God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel,

to whom thou dost now send me, and shall say unto them,
The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you ; and they
shall ask me, saying, What is his name ? what answer shall
I make them ? And God said to Moses, I am that I am ; or,
I will be that I will be : and he said. Thus shalt thou say
to the children of Israel, I am, or Being, or I will be, hath
sent me unto you." That is, I am God that will be, and
he hath sent who is himself Being, or
me Essence, and God
everlasting. For their future tense containeth three sundry

times. He that is. He that was, and, He that will be, hath
sent me. Truly the evangelist and apostle John seemeth in
his Revelation to have had eye to these words of the Lord,
an
which also he went about to interpret, saying in the person

of God : "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, R=v. i,
or the first
and the last,saith the almighty Lord, which is,
and which was, and which shall be."
Some there are which observe this for a note, that in all
tongues almost, even of the barbarous sort, the name of God
is written with four letters. Concerning his name in Hebrew
it is assuredly so ; and in the Greek, Latin, and German cabaia is a
"eft
tongues it is so also. For God in Greek is called Oeo9, in the Jew"
Latin Deus, and with us Germans he is called Gott. They ôses, not in
'' writing, but
, ^
add moreover, that the Persians callhim '^vprj,and the Egyp-

faXrtothe
tians QwvO, or QevO, and by contraction, 0^0. And in the
four letters the Cabalists say that there are wonderful mys-
L"conta *"
sicreti'of
teries contained : of which as other have written very di-
myst^ckr
ligently,so I have liefer*here not to stand upon them^ or to included in
, , . .
"
the words of
trouble your "'
patience with them. thehoiy
""" scripture.
\f spiritalibusUteris.]
[} liefer,rather.] [5 his subtilitatibus,Lat.]
9 2
jahandHu. Liko to tliisalso are these names of God, Jah, and Hu.
Whereof the firstis oftener found in the Psalms than once :
psai. cxi. for David saith,

^'
Hallelu-Jahr that is, "Praise
ye the
Lord." The latter is also mentioned
by David, saying, Hu,
that is, "
he," I say, God, the Being and creator of all things,
risai.xiii.8] "spake the word and it was done; Hu, he commanded and
he or this, it was." In Esay the Lord saith :
"
I am the Lord, Hu is my
name^ and my glory will I give unto none other." Now those
words also are derived of being, and do teach us that God
is always like himself, an essence which is of itselfeternally,
and which giveth to be unto all things that are : as he by
whom, in whom, and to whom all things are, being himself a
perpetual and most absolute evrekky^îa,or perfithavingness^.
But the Hebrews do not read or express the four-lettered

name of God by calling it Jehovah, but instead of it they
Adonai. uso the word Adonai. For they say that Jehovah must not
be uttered. Now all interpreters in their translations,where
they turn it into Latin, do call it Dominus, that is. Lord :
for God is the Lord
of all things, both visible and invisible.
Neither is there in all the world any other Lord but this
one, and he alone, to whom all things in the world are ject
sub-
and do obey : for he hath a most mere dominion and
absolute monarchy over all his creatures. And therefore for
plainness sake sometime the word Sahhaoth
is annexed to the
The Lord of
namo of God^; which some translate "the Lord of powers," and
"'
ffSf some "the Lord of hosts." For God, being almighty, doth
by his power strength shew forth and in his host declare,
or
what mighty things he is able to do, and of how great power

and might he is. For since that he is the God of all crea-
tures,
and that he doth dispose and use them as a captain
doth his soldiers,to work
mighty and marvellous things, he
doth evenby small things'*declare how great he himself is,
and how great his power is. In the host of God are all the
Dan. vii. angels, of whom Daniel said, " Thousand thousands and hun-
dred
thousands did minister unto him :" one
of which anirels
did in one night killin the Assyrians'
camp, under the banner
[1 Hu est nomen meum. Bibl. Tigur. Lat.

1544.]
[2 pcrfectihabia, Lat.]
[3 Dicitur enim Dominus Sabaoth, Lat. omitted ; for he is called
the Lord of Sabaoth.]
[4 minima, Lat. ; the
smallest.]
III.]
of the puissant king Senaclierib, one

most hundred score
four-
and five thousand soldiers. In the host of God are
all the winds, all the stars, and all the fiery, airy, and watery
impressions. In the host of God
all evil spirits,all men, are
kings and princes, all the warlike furniture of every nation,
and finally,all creatures, both visible and invisible: and all

these he useth according to his own pleasure, yea, according
to his good and just will, when, how
own much, and how
long he listeth,to finish and bring to pass his own will and
judgments. In punishing the first world at the deluge he
used water in destroving; of Sodoma

: and the cities there-
about he used fire : and in rooting: out the Canaanites and
Jews he used the means of mortal men, or soldiers.
Sometimes there is ascribed to the Lord^ the word riiehigh
j^^leon,
and the Lord is called u^leon'^, that is to say, high. For in
the one hundred
and thirteenth psalm we read :
"
The Lord is psai. exiii
higher than all nations, and his glory is above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord God, which setteth himself so high
our
in his habitation?" And in the ninety-seventh psalm he
saith :
"
Thou, Lord, art higher than all that are in the earth ; Psai. xcvi
thou art exalted far above all gods."

Again, God
is called El, because of his strength. For ei.
what he will, that can he do, and therefore is he called a

^.
strong God, or a giant For Jeremy The Lord "
saith : Jer. xx.
is with me as a strong giant." Esay saith :

"
The Lord shallisai. xiii.
come forth like a giant, he shall take stomach unto him^ like
a man
of war, he shall roar and overcome his enemies."
And like to this is the word Eloah, whose plural number is Eioah.
Elohira. That name betokeneth
which the presence of God,
never faileth his workmanship and worshippers^. Jeremy
bringeth in God speaking, and saith : " Am I God, that seeth Jer. xxiu.
but the thing that is nigh at hand only, and not the thing
that is far off'"^ ? may any man hide himself, so that I shall not
[5 additur Yocabulo Domini, Lat. ; there is added to the name of

Lord.]
[^ IV ^'"hî'^situation or power, the most High. Lee's Lex.]
/"^
[" lieros vel gigas, Lat.] [^ So Coverdale, 1535.]
[9 Nam î^significat ad, cui additur ,1 relativa particula, quod
Deus se
referat ad omnia. Bulling, de Orig. Error, fol. 4.]
"
[10Annon Deus de propinquo ego, et non Deusde longinquo? Lat.;

Coverdale, 1535, renders the sentence as the translator here.]
134 THE rouRTii decade. [seuii.
see him, saith the Lord ? do not I fillheaven and earth ?"
rsai. cxxxix. For before him also David said : " Whither shall I go from
the breath of thy mouth'? And whither shall I flee from
thy countenance ? If I ascend into heaven, thou art there :
and if I descend into hell, thou art there also. If I take the
wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the
sea, even there thy hand shall rule me, and thy right hand
Actsxvii.
shall hold me fast." Therefore the apostle Paul saith: God "
is not far from every one of us. For by him we live, we

move, and have our being." And for that cause
peradventure
God was called 9eo9, to wit, airo Oeeiv, because
of the Greeks
of his readiness and present succour ; because he never faileth
mortal men, but always and in all places doth aid and
relieve them. Likewise Plato in Cratylo, and his interpreter

Proclus, do think that Geo? (God) is derived airo rod Oeeiv,
that is, of running : but that course or
running is not referred
to the presence or help of God, but to another thing-. For
when men saw the sun, the moon, the stars, and heaven itself
by running stillto be turned about, they thought that they
were gods. Some there are that will derive it otto tov Seov^,
that is to say, of fear or dread : for fear of rehgion^ beheveth
and persuadeth men that there is a God. The Latins perad-
Dcus.
venture framed their Deus (God)of the Greeks' Geo?. But
some do think rather that Dens is derived a dando, of giving,
because he giveth all things unto all men. For so
among the
Hebrews he is called Gees'* (asI will anon or Schad-
declare),
dai, because he is sufficientto himself,he lacketh nothing, but
giveth to all men all good things and necessary ^ Some other
will have in Latin to be called Deus, quod ipsi nihil
God
deest, that is,because there is nothing wanting in him.
Eiohim. But uow thc scripture doth attribute the plural number,
Elohim, not to God
alone, but also to angels, to judges,and
to men in authority : because God is always present with
them, while they labour in that officewhich he hath appointed
them doth by the ministry of them work the things
unto ; and
which he himself will,and which are expedient for the welfare

of mortal men. And although the word Eiohim be of the
[1 a Spiritu tuo, Lat.]

[2Platon. Cratyl. ed. Bekker. Tom. iv. p. 224. Lond. 1826.]
[3 vel religio, Lat. ; or religion. So ed. 1577.]
["*Hebrscis Dai nuncupatur, Lat.] [5 See Vol. i. p. 216, note 3.]
III.]
plural number, yet is it set before verbs in the singular num-

ber;
as in.the firstof Genesis we find, " In the beginning,"
Bara Eloldm, Creavit Dii, "God created" (for 7i"ra, This n/; im-
created, is the singular number) heaven and earth.

~
In that much as if
'
"""^ should
1 /"
phrase of speech is shewed unto us the mystery of the say. "^""'"-

reverend Trinity : for Moses seemcth to have said in effect.
In the beginning that God in the Trinity created heaven and
earth. In the seventh chapter of the second book of Samuel,

Elohhn in the plural number is joined with verbs of the plural
number^, to declare that there is a differenceof persons in the
blessed Trinity.
in the league which God maketh
Moreover, with our schacwai.
father Abraham God giveth himself another name. For he
saith : I God
"
am that is, sufficient,
Schaddai" or ccn.
sufficiency, xvii.
Therefore God is called Schaddai. Some in their transla-

tions
turn it Vastator, a destroyer, as if God should name
himself a justrevenger. But Moses iEgyptius'^ saith : "
The
noun is compounded
Schaddai of the verb Daii (which
he and the
signifieth, sufficetli) letter Schin, which hath the
same meaning that Ascher hath, and signifieth, that. So
he
that Schaddai is that sufficethto
as much to say as,
*'
he
himself, and is the sufficiencyor fulness of all things." Per-
adventure the heathen have upon this occasion derived their

Saturnus, which name they gave to them whom they did satum.
wickedly take to be gods : for as Diurnus cometh of Dies,
a day; so is Saturnus derived a saturando, of satisfying or
8.
filling Therefore God is that He, to whom nothing is lacking,
which in all things and unto
all things is sufficientto himself;
who needeth no man's aid,yea, who alone hath all things which J^^f^,"*^
do appertain to the perfect felicityboth of this lifeand of the f"
borrcTof
world to come ; and which only and alone can filland sufficeIhlir^w'S^
all his people and other creatures. For this cause the Germans tum'their
call him Gott, as who should say Guot^ good, or best^; because, d, which we
as he is full
of all g-oodness, so he doth most liberally bestow
O *'
as if
should
we
say,
_ ^
upon men all manner of good things. The German word is eood.
[6 Verse 23, ""n'?^-^D'?n.]

"
v; : T
[7 Moses Maimonides, a celebrated Jewish rabbi, born at Cordova,

in Spain, lived long, and died in Egypt, a.d. 1204.]
[8 See Vol. I. p. 215, notes 5, 6.]
[9 das huchste oberist gut, German, omitted ; the highest good over
all.]
not much unliko to the ancient name whereby the Egyptians

called God ; for they called God T/ieiith, or Thoth : now if
we for Th put G, then is it Goth, and we say, Gott.
The Lord himself, in the sixth chapter of Exodus, putteth
these two names' together, Scliaddai and Jehovah, as two
of the most excellent names that he hath, and saith : I am "
Jehovah. And I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as

God Schaddai : but in ray name Jehovah I was not known
unto them." Not
that the patriarchs had not heard or known
2
the name Jehovah : for that name began to be called upon
in the time of Scth, immediately after the beginning
Gen. iv.
of the
world. Therefore it seemeth that the Lord meant thus in
effect: "I opened myself unto the patriarchs as God Schaddai,
who am able in all things sufficientlyto fillthem with all
goodness ; and therefore I promised them a land that floweth
with milk and honey : but in my name Jehovah I was not
yet known unto them, that is, I did not perform unto them
that which I promised." For we have heard already, that
he is called Jehovah of that which he maketh to be ; and
therefore he bringeth his promise to performance. "Now
"
therefore" (saith he) I will indeed fulfilmy promise, and
shew myself to be, not only Deum Schaddai, an all-sufficient
or almighty God^, but also to be Jehovah, an essence or being
eternal, immutable, true, and in all things like myself, or
standing to my promise'*."
Last of all we read in the third of Exodus that God
said to Moses :
"
Thus shalt thou say to the children of Is-
TheGodof rael, The Lord God of our^ fathers, the God of Abraham,
Isaac, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto
Jacob. " "
"M ,. 1 , . . . ,
you. Inis IS
my name lor ever, and this is
my memorial
from one
generationanother."" unto So then here now wo
have another name of God ; for he will be called the God
of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. This," saith he, '" "

shall
be my memorial from one to
generation unto another ; wit,
wherein I will keep in memory benefits bestowed
my upon
those patriarchs, that by them the posterity may know me
and remember me." For when we hear tlio names of those
patriarchs,they do put us in mind of all the excellent and
[1 vocabula sua, Lat. ; liis

names.]
[2 nomon Dei, Lat.] Qân all" God, not in Lat.]
[* or" promise, not in Iât.] [5 vestroruni, Lat.]
III.] OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE Ol' GOD. 137
innumerable benefits which God bestowed on our forefathers'':
which are not in vain with great dihgence peculiarly

so
reckoned up of Moses in'^his firstbook called Genesis. For

he will be our God, even as he was theirs, if so be we do
believe in him as they did believe. For to us that believe
he will be both Schaddai and Jehovah, eternal and immutable
truth, being, life, and heapcd-up store of all manner good
things.
And by the way, itis not without a mystery that,
now
when he is the God also of other patriarchs, as of Adam,

Seth, Enos, and especially of Enoch and Noah, yet out of
all the number of them he picked those three, Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, and to every one of their names prefixed
severally his own
name^ saying: "lam the God of Abra- Trinity,
ham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." For so he

did evidently teach the mystery of the Trinity in the unity
of the divine substance, and that every one of the persons

is of the same divinity, and glory ; that is, that the
majesty
Father is very God, the Son very God, and the Holy Ghost
very God ; and that these three are one God ; for he saith,
"
I am God, "c." Of which I will speak in place convenient.
Thus much hitherto concerning the names of God, out
of which an indifferentknowledge of God may easily be
gathered. I know that one Dionysius^ hath made a busy oionysius, of
"
commentary upon of God: but I know

the names too, that
ood?^'"^^
the godly sort, and those that are studious of the apostles'
doctrine do understand, that the disciplesof the apostles did
far simply handle matters
more belonging unto religion. I
know that other do make account of seventy-two names of
God out of the scriptures and books of the Cabalists,which
as I have in another place rehearsed^", so will I hereafter out
^^
of Exodus repeat to you the chiefestof them.
Secondarily, God is in the word of God exhibited to be visions and
seen, to be beheld, and to be known by visions and divine

graX'^f
["5ipsis,Lat. ; on them.] p per, Lat. ; throughout.]

[8 id est, Dei Lat. omitted; that is, the name
nomen, of God.]
P Dionys. Areop. ad Timoth. episc. Ephes. lib.de div. nom. This
work is spurious : it is supposed to have been written in the fourth
or fifth
century.]
[1^Bulling, de Orig. Error, cap. i. fol. 6.]
[11ex Exodi 34. cap. Lat.]
138 THE rOURTII DECADE. [SERM.
^TphyTsa
mirrors, as it were in a certain parable, while by Prosopo-
^â'pli]),
reprelenting
Prosopopoîa, or mortal shapes^ he is set^ before
"ineamenu.
our ejcs. And yet we are warned not to stick upon those
minds from visiblethings to

but to lift upi
Prosopopoeia
is where
visible thinffs,
O
our
"
. , . ,
^^^^"o^ invisibleand spiritual. For neither is God bodily in

bôu^hunto
''" ^^s own
substaucc, because he is in visions exhibited to us
no'upeak! in a bodily shape like a man ; neither did any of the old
saints before the birth of Christ express God in the shape
and picture of a mortal man, because God had in that shape

exhibited himself to be seen of the patriarchs and prophets.
Anthropo- It is the doatiug error of the Anthropomorphites^ to say, that
morp ites.
.^ like to a mortal
^^^ bodily, and that he hath members
man. And that no man do in this case deceive himself, by
attributing falsely to God the thing that is against his ho-

nour,
I will here, instead of a remedy against that poison,
recite unto you, dearly beloved, the words of St Augustine,

which of the pure understanding of the holy scrip-
he out tures
and assured testimonies of* catholic true doctors writ
to Fortunatus, De Videndo Deo, against the Anthropomor-
How phites. Concerning the members of God (saith

"
he),which
"uTbiftedYo
the scripture doth in every place make mention of, know
bodiless. this ; that, lest any man should believe that, according to the
fashion and figure of this flesh we are like to God, the same
scripture did also say that God hath wings, which it is ma-
nifest
that we men have not. Therefore even as, when we
hear wings named, we
understand God's protection and de-fence
; so when we hear of hands, understand his
we must
operation ; when we hear mention

made of feet, we must
understand his present readiness ; when we hear the name
of eyes, we must understand his sight, whereby he seeth
and knoweth all things : and when we hear of his face, we
must understand his justice, whereby he is known to all the
world : and whatsoever else like unto this the same ture
scrip-
doth make mention of, I believe verily that it must be
understood spiritually. Neither do I alone, or am I the

first, that think thus ; but even all they also which even
with a mean understanding of the scriptures do withstand
the opinion of them that are, for that cause, called Anthropo-
[1 aut icones, Lat.] \} quasi, Lat. omitted ; as it
were]
[3 See Vol. I. p. 225, note 9.]
["*aliorum, Lat. omitted ; of other.]
III.]
morphitcs. Out of whose writing because I will not cite over

much, to cause too long a stay, I do here mean to allege
one testimony of out St Ilierome. For when that man,
most excellently learned in the holy scriptures,expounded the
Psalm, where it is said, Understand, ye unwise among*
the Psai. xciv.
people ; ye fools,at length bo wise : he that planted the ear,

shall he not hear ; or he that made the eye, shall he not see ?'
rhel did among '
other things say : This place doth most of allThese words
1 "
1 4 1 1 "
1-1 "f Hierome /-" 1
make agamst the Anthropomorphites, which say that God are taken nut
hath members even as we have. As for example, he is said
to have eyes eyes of the Lord behold all things ; the
: The
hand of the Lord maketh all things. And Adam heard
he) the sound of the feet of the Lord walking in
(saitli
paradise. They do understand
these places simply as the
letter lieth,and do refer mortal weakness to the magnificent
mightiness of the immortal God. But I say that God is all
eye, all hand, and all foot. He is all eye, because he seeth
all things ; all hand, because he worketh all things ; all
foot, because he is present everywhere. Therefore mark ye
what he saith : He that planted the ear, shall he not hear?

'
or hethat made the eye, shall he not see ?' He said not,
therefore hath he no eyes ? But he said, He that planted the
'
ear, shall he not hear ; or he that made the eye, shall he not
see?' He
made the members, and gave them the efficient
powers.'" And a littleafterwards the same St Augustine saith :
"In all this which I have cited out of the saints and doctors,
Ambrose, Hierome, Athanasius,
(Nazianzene), Gregory
and
whatsoever else like these of other men's doings I could
ever read or come by (which I think to be too long here
severally to rehearse), I find that God is not a body, or that

he hath members like to a man ; neither that he is divided
by the distance of places, but by nature unchangeably invi-
sible.
And I do in the help of God without wavering believe,
and so far he giveth me

as
grace I do understand, that not
by the same invisible nature and substance, but by a visible
shape taken unto him, he appeared, as it pleased him to

them to whom he did appear, when in the holy scriptures
he is reported to have been seen with corporal eyes." Thus
much out of Augustine ^
[5 Nam de membris Dei quse assidue scriptura commemorat, ne
quisquam secundum camis hujus formam et figuram nos esse crederet

140 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sKRM.
To I tvIIIalso
these the words of Tertullian, a
now
cadd
very ancient ecclesiasticalwriter, in his excellent book De,
Trinitate. "By members (saith he),are shewed the efficient
powers of God, not the bodily fashion of God, or corporal
lineaments. For when the eyes are described, it is set down
because he seeth all things; and when the ear is named, it
is therefore named because ho heareth all things ; and when
the finger is mentioned, then is there a certain signification
similes Deo, propterea etcadem scriptura et alas habere Deum dixit,
quas nos utiquc non habemus. Sicut ergo alas cum audimus, pro-
tectionem intelligimus ; sic et cum audimus manus, operationem in-
telligere dcbemus ; et cum audimus pedes, prajsentationem ; et cum
audimus oculos, visionem qua cognoscitur (BuUinger read, cognoscit)

;
et cum audimus faciem, justitiamqua innotescit: et

si quid aliud
eadem scriptura tale commemorat, puto spiritaliter intelligendum.
Neque hoc ego tantum, aut ego prior; sed omnes qui qualicunque
spiiitali intelligentia resistunt eis qui ob hoc anthropomorphitaj nomi-
Ex Uteris ne
nautur. multa
quorum commemorando majoresmoras
faciam, unum hoc
sancti Hieronymi interpono Cum ergo ille vir, in . . .
scripturis doctissimus, psalmum exponeret ubi dictum est, Intelligite
ergo, qui insipientes estis in populo, et stulti aliquando sapite ; Qui

plantavit aurem non
audiet? aut qui finxit oculum non considerat? "
inter cetera, Iste locus, inquit, adversus eos maxime facit qui anthro-
pomorphitre sunt, qui dicunt Deum habere membra qure etiara nos
habemus. Verbi causa, dicitur Deus habere oculos : Oculi Domini
aspiciunt omnia ; manus Domini facit omnia : et, Audivit, inquit, Adam
sonum pedum Domini deambulantis in paradiso. Hpcc simpliciter
audiunt, et humanas imbecillitates ad Dei magnificentiam referunt.

Ego autem dico, quod Deus totus oculus est, totus manus est, totus
pes est: totus oculus est, quia omnia videt; totus manus est, quia
omnia operatur; totus pes est, quia ubique est. Ergo videte quid
dicat: Qui plantavit aurem non audiet? aut qui finxit oculos non
considerat? Et dixit. Qui plantavit aurem,

non ergo ipse aurem non
habet ? non dixit. Ergo ipse oculos non habet ? Sed quid dixit ? Qui
plantavit aurem audiet ?non qui finxit oculos non considerat ? Mem-
bra
tulit, efficientias dedit .
Denique
. .
in iis omnibus quai de opus-
culis sanctorum atque doctorum commemoravi, Ambrosii, Hieronymi,
Athanasii, Gregorii, et si qua aliorum talia legere potui, qua; com-
memorare longum putavi, Deum esse corpus, nee non forma? humanre
habere membra, nee cum esse per locorum spatia divisibilem, et esse
natura incommutabilitcr invisibilem ; nee per eandem naturam atque
substantiam, sed assumpta visibili specie, sicut voluit, apparuisse iis
per corporis oculos in scripturis Sanctis visus

quibus apparuit, quando
esse narratur, in Domini inconcusse credo, et quantum ipse
adjutorio
donat intelligo. "
August, ad Fortunat. Ep. cxi. 0pp. Tom, ii. fol.
101. col. 4. Par. 1531.]
or GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. l-il
111.]
of his mind declared ; and when the nosc-thrillsarc spoken

of, the receiving of prayers, as of sweet smells is thereby
notified ; and when the hand is talked of, it argueth that
he is the author of all creatures ; and when the arm is spe-
cified,
thereby is declared that no nature can withstand tho
power of God; and when the feet are named, that putteth
in mind, that God fillcth all things,
us
and that there is no-
thing
where he is not present. For neither members nor
the oflSces of members necessary to him, to whose will

are
only, without any words, all things obey and are ready at
hand. For why should he require eyes, which is himself
the light ? Or why should he seek for feet, which is him-
self
present everywhere? Or how should he go in, since
that there is nowhere for him to go out from himself? Or
why should he wish for a hand, whose without
will words
doth work all things ? Neither doth he need ears, that
knoweth the very secret thoughts. Or wherefore should
he lack a tongue, whose only thinking is a
commanding?
For these members were necessary to men, and not to God ;
because the counsel of men should be of none effect, unless
the body did fulfilthe thoughts : but to God they are not
needful, whose will the very works do not only follow without
all stirring business, but do even immediately with his will
proceed and go forward. But he is all eye, because he
wholly seeth : he is all ear, because he wholly heareth : he
is all hand, because he wholly worketh ;
and all foot, because
he is wholly everywhere. For whatsoever is simple, that
hath not in itself any diversity
of itself. For those things
fall into diversity of members,
a
whatsoever are born unto
dissolution ; but the things that are not
compact together can-
not
feel diversity 2."
And so as followeth : for all these
hitherto are the words of Tertullian.
[1 In ed. 1577 diversity is placed within brackets.]

[2 Efficacia: igitur ibi divinte per membra monstrantur : non habitus
Dei, nee corporalia lineamenta ponuntur. Nam et cum oculi descri-
buntur, quod omnia videat exprimitur ; et quando auris, quod omnia
audiat proponitur; et cum digitus, significantia qusedam voluntatis
aperitur; et cum nares, precum quasi odorum perceptio ostenditur;
et cum manus,
quod crcaturse sit omnis auctor probatur ; et quando
brachium, quod nulla natura contra ipsius repugnare
robur possit edi-
citur; et
quando pedes, quod impleat omnia, nee sit quicquam ubi
non sit Deus, explicatur. Neque enim sunt ei aut membra aut mem-
How the when read that Moses did see God face
Therefore
we
to facc, and that Jacob, Israel,and the prophets saw

lita'see'cod. God
plainly and not obscurely ; thereby is meant, that to them

was exhibited a vision most manifest, effectual,and very
familiar. For truly said Theodorctus, the bishop of Cyrus :
"
We say that the fathers did not see the divine nature or
substance, which cannot be circumscribed, comprehended, or
perceived in the mind of man, but doth itself comprehend

all things : but we say that they saw a certain glory and
certain visions,which were answerable to their capacity, and

did not pass the of the same^"
measure For these assured
sentences of the holy scripture do alw'ays remain most true :

johni. "No man did ever see God at any time." "God dwelleth in
the light that no
attain unto, whom man
no man hath
can
No man shall see my face,

"
Exod. xxxiu. seen nor can see ;" and again,
and live ;" that is,so long as he liveth upon this earth in the
corruption and imperfection of this our flesh no man shall
behold the of God, which is eternal and
essence light that
cannot be looked upon. For when we are once delivered
from this corruption and are clarified,then shall we see
brorum officianecessaria, ad taciturn arbitrium et etiam

cujussolum
serviunt et adsunt omnia. Cur enim requirat oculos, qui lux est?
Aut cm* quajrat pedes, qui ubique est ? cur ingredi velit, cum non sit
quo se progredi possit? aut cur manus
extra expetat, cujusmens ad
omnia instituenda artifex est, et silens voluntas ? Nee auribus eget,
qui etiam tacitas novit voluntates. Aut propter quam causam Linguam
est? Necessaria enim hsec membra

quserat, cui cogitare jussisse homi-
nibus fuerunt, non Deo ; quia inefficax bominis consilium fuisset, nisi
cogitamen corpus implesset : Deo autem non necessaria, cujusyolun-

tatem non tantum sine aliqua molitione opera subsequuntur, sed ipsa
statim opera cum voluntate procedimt. Ceterum ipse totus oculus,
quia totus videt : et totus auris, quia totus audit : et totus manus, quia
totus operatur : et totus
ubique est.pes, quia totus Non enim habet
in se diversitatem sui, quicquid est simplex. Ea enim demum in divci'-
sitatem mcmbrorum recidunt, quse veniunt ex nativitate in dissolu-

tioneni. Sed ba;c, quve concreta non sunt, sentire non possunt. Novat. "
de Trin. Lib. apud TertuU. 0pp. Par. 1664, p. 710.]

[} 'H/xfiy Se Kol XoyKT/xois
evaeêcri koL rais
\prjcraiJiivoi, anocpaafcri rais
6fiais TTKTTfvovTfs, hiapprjhrjv,Qeov
at /3oc5(rt oiSety ecopuKe TTcoTTore,
(papev
avTovs ov TTju deiav icupaKevai, dXX' rivas dvvapiei
(pvaiv oyj/ets rfja(f}cov
ovtco tu)V ov ttjv
avpp,eTpovs . . .
toIvvv K.a\ntpl ayye'Xtoi'vorjcrofjLev . . .
yap
6iiav ovcrlav opaxn ttjv uTvepiypimTov, Trju dKaTahTjuTOv, dnfpivorjTOP,
ti)v
Tu"v
TTjV TS-fptXrjTVTiKqv "jK(x)V,aXko. 5o|aj/Tiva T7J aiiTOivcfivcTei
avpperpov-
0pp. Dial. p. 15. Tom. Lut. Par.
pivrjv. Thcodoret.
" i. iv.
16-42.]
III.]
him as he is. Therefore God is said to have been seen of
the fathers, not according to the fulness of his divinity, but
according to the capacity of men.

TertulHan thinketh that all things in the old Testament God did. lo
were done of God the Father by the Son, who, taking upon
1- 1, ,1,
witiuilf
f-'t'"ersby
..1
nim a
competent shape, appeared spake unto the his to men and son.
fathers. Paul in the beginning of his Epistle to the brews

He-
doth significantlyspeak of the Son of God incarnate,
not denying absolutely that the Father did ever any thing
by the Son, Tertullian saith : "
To the Son was given all
power in heaven and in earth. But that power could not
be of all things, unless it were of every time. Therefore it
is the Son that always descended to talk with men, from
Adam the patriarchs and prophets, in vision, in dream,
unto
in a mirror, and in oracle. So always it pleased God to be
conversant in the earth with men, being none other than the
Word which afterward was to be made flesh. And it pleased
him so way for us to faith, that we
to make a
might the
more easily perceive that the Son of God descended into the
world, and that we might know that such a thing was done 2."
And followeth ; for all these are
so as the words of Ter-
tullian.
After this premonition we will now add the visions
of God's majesty exhibited to holy men.
God exhibited to his servants many codsha-
and sundrye/ visions,dowed '
,
in "'
wherem he after a manner did shadow forth his ^'^'o^s.

majesty
unto them : all which visions it would be too long: a labour
for me to rehearse and expound unto you. Ye shall find
the most notable ones. Exodus xix, Esay vi, Ezechiel i, Da-
niel
vii,and in the Apocalypse of the blessed evangelist and
apostle John : it is sufficient to have put you in mind of
them. But now the most renowned and excellent one of
[2 Omnem dicens potestatem, et omne judicium,et omnia per cum
facta, et omnia tradita in manu temporis

ejus,nullam exceptionem
permittit, quia omnia non erunt,omnis si non temporis f uerint. Filius
itaque ad humaua
... semper colloquia descendit, ab Adam usque ad
patriarchas et prophetas, in visiono, in somno, in speculo, in senig-
mate :
ordinem suum prsestruens ab initio semper quse erat persecutm'us
infinita, semper ediscebat, et Deus in terris cum hominibus convei'sari,
non alius quam Sermo qui caro erat futurus. Ediscebat autem, ut
nobis fidem stemeret, ut facilius crederemus Filium Dei descendisse in
seculum, et retro tale quid gestum cognosceremus. "

Tertull. Adv.
Prax. cap. 16. Tom. 11. pp. 176, 177. ed. Semler.]
them all I willhere recite and handle at large. It isto be seen
in the thirty-third and thirty-fourth chapters of Exodus.

Moses trial of the facility and goodness of God,
had
and that there was nothing which he obtained not at God's
hand : therefore he taketh upon him boldly to ask this also
Moses
desircUi to
of the Lord, to sec God in his substance, glory, and ; majesty
" "
i i i 11 i "
n Til
seeGo.iin which tlimg all the true wise men oi every age did only
his ./ O "/
majesty "
1 1
yf\^\\aud long for. For Moses saith : Because I understand "

and glory.
that thou, 0 God, wishest welP unto me, and that thou canst
deny nothing ; go to, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory : that "
is,suffer me, I pray thee, to see thee so as thou art in thy

glorious substance and majesty. Now God answering to
this request, which is the greatest of all other, doth say
unto him :
"
I will make all my good to pass by before thee,
and I will cry the name of the Lord, or in the name of

the Lord^, before thee." In which words he promiseth two
things to Moses. The one is, "All my good shall pass by
before thee." But this chief good of God can be nothing
else than the good and mighty God himself, or rather, the
Word of God, I say, the very beloved Son of God, in whom
we believe that all the treasures of wisdom, divinity, good-
ness,
and perfectness are placed and laid up. For he set
before Moses' eyes the shew of him in a human and visible
shape, such in sight as he in the end of the world should
be incarnate in. The other thing that he promised is, "I will
cry the name of the Lord, or, in the name of the Lord,
before thee;" that is,I will proclaim the names of my glory,
by which thou mayest understand who I am, and see me in
thy mind.
Godîveth
But uow, that
should attribute so excellent a
uo man
freefj-with- vlslou to tlic merit of Moses, the Lord doth add this sentence
niansmerits. followiug ; ' This visiou dotli uot happen to thee because of
thine merit. For without man's
own merits I reveal myself
to whom I will, and without respect of persons will have
compassion on whom it pleaseth me ;' which consideration of

the free grace arid liberal goodness of God doth greatly
belong to the true knowledge of God. Then the Lord
goeth to again, and doth more significantlydeclare to Moses
[1 peroptime, Lat.]
\? nin^ tDkiÎl,Exod. xxxiii. 19. in nomine Domini, Vulgate.]
III.]
in -what manner and order he will exhibit or shew himself
unto him. Thou mayest not (saith
"
he) in this lifesee ray
face ; that is,thou mayest not fully see me in my substance ;
"
for that is reserved for the blessed spirits and clarified

bodies in the world to come. I will therefore in this fashion
shew myself unto thee. Thou shalt go up into the mountain ;
there in a rock I will shew thee a clift,wherein thou shalt
place thyself: and I will lay mine hand upon thee, that is,
a cloud, or such thing, that, as I come
some toward thee,
thou mayest not look directly in my face. In that phrase
of speech the Lord doth imitate the fashion of men, whose

order is to spread their hands over the eyes of him whom
they would not have narrowly to behold any thing. The
Lord then addeth : while I will pass by ;
And in the mean
that is,the image which I take, to wit, the shape of a man,

wherein I will exhibit myself to be seen, shall pass by before
thee. And when I
past, so that thou canst not see
am once
my face, I will take away the hand wherewith I hid thine

eyes, and then thou shalt behold the back of the figure, or
my hinder parts. ISTow the hinder parts of God are the
words and deeds of God, which he leaveth behind him that
we by them may learn to know him. Again, the beholding
of God's face is taken for the most exact and exquisite

knowledge of God ; but they that see but the back only do
not know well as they that see
so the face. And in the
hinder or latter times of the world God sent his Son into
^
the world, born of a woman ; whom whosoever do in faith
behold, they do not see the Godhead in his humanity, but
do by his words and deeds know who God is, and so they
see the Father in the Son. For they learn that God is the
chief good, and that the Son of God is God, being co-equal
and of the same substance with the Father.
Now let us see how God (according to his promise How
made) God did
did exhibit himself to be seen of Moses. Moses, rising up

to'Mose^'^
betimes, ascendeth up into the mountain cheerfully unto the
rock which the Lord had shewed him, placing himself in

the clift,and looketh greedily for the vision or revelation
of God. At length the Lord descended in a cloud, and
came upon the mountain unto the cliftof the rock wherein
Moses stayed for him. And presently, when Moses' face was
[3 Cf. August, de Trinitate. Lib. ii. cap. 16.]

10
r 1
[bullinger,III.J
hidden, the figure of God, that is,the shape of a man which

God took upon him, did pass by before him : and when as
now the back of the figure was toward Moses, so that he
could no more see the face thereof, the Lord took his hand
away, and Moses beheld the hinder parts of the same^

Whereby hegathered that God should once, that is to say,
in the hinder times of the world, be incarnate and^ revealed
to the world. Of which revelation we will hereafter speak
somewhat more. And when the Lord was once gone past,
he cried, and as his promise was, so in a certain catalogue ho
reckoned up his names, whereby, as in a shadow, he did de-
clare
his nature. For he said, "
Jehovah, Jehovah, God,
merciful and gracious, long-suffering,and abounding in good-

ness
and truth; keeping mercy in store for thousands, for-
giving
wickedness, transgression,and sin : and yet not suffering
the wicked to escape unpunished, visiting the wickedness of
the fathers upon the children and children's children, unto the
third and fourth generation." "What else is this than if he
What God is. had
Said I am the uncreated essence,
'
being of myself from
before all beginning, which giveth being to all things, and
keepeth 'all things in being ; I am a strong and almighty
God ; I do not abuse my might, for I am
gentle and mer-
ciful;
I love my and man
creatures, especially,on whom I
do wholly yearn in the bowels of love and mercy ; I am
rich and bountiful,and ready at all times to help my crea-
tures
; I dofreely,without recompence, give all that I bestow ;
I am long-suffering,and not irritableto anger, and hasty to
revenge, as mankind is; I am noniggard or envious, as wealthy
men in the world arc wont to be ; I am most liberal and
bountiful, to be divided among mypeople, and to
rejoicing
I am
heap up benefits upon the faithful: Moreover, true
and faithful; I deceive no man, I lie in nothing ; what I
promise, that I stand to, and faithfullyperform it: Neither

do I nor can I so waste my riches^ that all at length is
spent, and I myself drawn dry ; for I keep good turns in
store for a thousand generations,so that although the former
age did live never so wealthily with my riches, yet they

that come and are born even until the very end of the
world shall nevertheless find in me so much as shall suflSce
[1Domini, Lat. ; of the Lord.] [2 atquo ita,Lat. ; and so.]
[3spargcns in homines, Lat. omitted ; scattering them upon
men.]
III.]
and satisfy their desire ; for I am the "well-springof good

that cannot be drawn dry ; and if any man sin against me
I am
and afterward repent him of the same, not unappeas-
able
; for even of mine own free-will I do forgive errors,
sins, and heinous crimes : and yet let no man therefore

think that I am delighted with sins, or that I am a patron
of wicked doers ; for even I, the same, do punish wicked
and impenitent men ; and chasten even those that are mine
own, that thereby I may keep them in order and office: but
let no man think that he
shall sin and escape unpunished,
because he
seeth that his ancestors did sin and were not
punished ; that is, did sin and were not utterly cut off and.
wiped out* ; for I reserve revengement till justand full

time, and do so behave myself^ that all are compelled to
'
confess me to be God
of judgment
a ? Now when Moses
the servant of God had heard and seen these things, he made
haste, and fell down prostrate to the earth, and worshipped.
Let us also do the same, being surely certifiedthat the Lord
will not vouchsafe, so long as we live in this transitory God doth
world, to reveal himself and his glory any whit more fully demiy open
^, Let
and brimly than in Christ his Son exhibited unto us. '^j|"^'f
''
therefore the things that sufficedMoses sufficeus also : let

the knowledge of Christ sufficeand content us.
For theevident and excellent way and mean
most to
know God is laid forth before us in Jesu Christ, the Son of
God incarnate and made man. For therefore we did even
now hear, that before Moses was set the shadow of Christ,
when it pleased God most familiarly to reveal himself unto
him. Paul placeth the illumination or ap-acor.iv.
xVnd the apostle
pearing of
"
the knowledge of the glory of God to be in the
face of Jesus Christ." And in another place the same Paul
calleth Christ "the brightness of his Father's glory, and theneb. i.

lively image of his substance." Truly he himself in the gospel
doth most plainly say,
"
No man knoweth the Father but Mattii. xi.
the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him." For John xiv.
he is the way unto the Father, and the Father is seen and
beheld in him. For we do again in the gospel read, "
No John i.
man hath ever seen God at any time ; the only-begotten Son,
[4 protinus, Lat. omitted ; immediately.]

['^modis omnibus, Lat. omitted ; in all respects.]
[6 brim : public]
10"2
148 THE FOUKTH DECADE. [sERM.
which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath revealed him

icor. i.
unto us," But again the apostle saith, "After that in the
wisdom of God the world through their wisdom knew not

God, it pleased God through foolishness of preaching to save
them that believe," That which he in this place calleth the

wisdom of God is the very creation and workmanship of
the world, and the wonderful works of God, in which God
would be known to the world ; and in the beating out and
considerino; whereof all the wisdom of all the wise men till
then did altogether lie. But for because the consideration
of those things did no good, by reason of man's wisdom for

the most part referring the causes of things to somewhat
else than to God, the true and only mark whereto they
should be referred ; and while men thought themselves wise,
Kom. i. as the same apostle^ teacheth us, even in their own reason-
ings
they became fools; it pleased God by another way to be
known to the world, to wit, by the foolish preaching of the
gospel, which is in very deed most absolute and perfect wis-

dom,
but to the worldly wisdom of mortal men it seemeth
foolishness. For it seemeth a foolish thing to the men of
this world, that the true and very God, being incarnate or
made man, was conversant with us men here in the earth,

was in poverty, was hungry, did suffer and die. And yet
even this is the way whereby God is most evidently known
to the world, together with his wisdom, goodness, truth,
God's wisdom
appearetn.
rishteousness, and power.
~
a
For the wisdom of God, which
no tongue can utter, doth in the whole ministry and won-
derful
dispensation of Christ shine out very brightly ; but
far more brimly if we discuss and beat out the causes (of
which I spake elsewhere), and throughly weigh the doctrine
ne"ssappMr- ^^ Christ. lu the incarnation of the Son of God it appeareth,

well God wisheth to the world being sunk and drowned
^"''
how
in sin, as that to which he is bound by an indissolubleleague ;
and doth through Christ adopt the sons of

death and of the
devil into the heirs of life everlasting, Now
sons and
GpOd's UTith fulfil
whereas Christ doth most exactly all those things which
the prophets by the revelation of God did foretell of him,
liberally perform the things which
and whereas he doth most
God the Father did promise of liim^ ; that doth declare how
[^ idem doctor gentium, Lat. ; the same teacher of the Gentiles.]

[2 in ipso, Lat. ; in him.]
Ill "
J OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 149
unchangeable and true the eternal God is. In the deeds or cod's power
miracles of Christ our Lord, in his resurrection, in his glo- suflering
appeareth to "
^ 'r 1
nous ascension into heaven,
plentiiulpouring out "'e ""rid.
and most
of his holy Spirit upon his disciples,but especially in con-
verting
the whole world from paganism and Judaismto the
evangelical truth, do appear the power, long-suffering,ma-
jesty,
and unspeakable goodness of God the Father. In the ood-s justice
death ^'''''^''"^
of Christ the Son of God doth shine^ the great justice
of God the Father, as that which, being once offended with
our
sins, could not be pacified but with such and so great a
sacrifice. Finally, because he spared not his only-begotten Gods mercy
Q U ^ "
!" arpeareth.
1 " "
I'll
oon, but gave him for us that are his enemies and wicked
rebels, even therein is that mercy of his made known to the
world, which is very rightly commended above all the works

of God. Therefore in the Son, and by the Son, God doth
most manifestly make himself manifest to the world ; so that
whatsoever is needful to be known of God or of his will,
and whatsoever is belonging to heavenly and healthful wis-
dom,
that is wholly opened and throughly perceived and
seen in the Son. Therefore, when Philip said'*to Christ,
"Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us;" we read John xiv.
that the Lord answered, Have

long with you, and
"
I been so
do ye not yet know^ me? Phihp, he that hath seen me hath

seen the Father; and how sayest thou, Shew us the Father?
Dost not thou believe, that I am in the Father, and the
Father in me ?" Now herein he calleth back all the faithful
from over-curious searching after God, laying before them
the mystery of the dispensation wherein hewould have us
to rest and to content ourselves, namely in that that God was
made man. Therefore whosoever desire to see and know

God truly, let them cast the eyes of their mind upon Christ,
and believe the mystery of him contained in words and deeds,
learning by them what and who God is. For God is such
an one as he exhibiteth himself^ to be known in Christ, and
in that very knowledge he doth appoint eternal life to be,
where he saith : And this is eternal life, that they might

"
john xvu.
know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou
hast sent." Let him that wisheth well to himself take heed
[3 maxime, Lat. omitted ; most especially.]

[* roganti, Lat. ; asked.] [^ cognovistis, Lat. and Vulgate.]
[6 nobis, Lat. omitted; to
us.]
150 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SEIIM,
that he go not about to know any moro than God himself

doth teach us in Christ. But whosoever, neglecting Christ,
doth follow the rule and subtiltiesof man's wit, he verily
doth come to nought and perish in his thoughts.
Goii isknown The fourth mean to know God by is fetched out of the
by his works. "
,. n ^ ^ -r\'-i"i mi
"
Psai. xix.
contemplation of his works. David saith, The heavens de-
clare
the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth forth the
Horn. i.
works of his hands." And the apostle Paul saith, " His in-
visible
things, being understanded by his works through the
creation of the world, are seen, that is, both his eternal
power and Godhead." Lo, the power and Godhead of God
are these invisiblethings of God ; and yet they are under-
stood
by the consideration of God's works: therefore even
The works of God himsclf is known by the works of God. But now the
Ctoci are two ""
Sred?"" works of God are of two sorts. doubly considered, or be

For either they are laid before us to be beheld in things
created for the behoof of men, as in heaven and in earth,
and in those things that and in earth, and are

are in heaven
governed and preserved by the providence of God ; of which

sort are the stars and the motions or courses of the stars,
the influence of heaven, the course^ of time, living creatures
of all kinds, trees, plants, fruits of the earth, the sea and
"whatsoever is therein, stones, and whatsoever things are hid
within and digged out of the earth for the use of men. Of
these St Basil and St Ambrose have written very learnedly
and godly in their books intituled, The work of six days,"
"
the which they called Hexaemeron"^. Here may be inserted

that history of nature, which the glorious and worthy king
Psai. civ. David doth in the Psalms, especially after the hundredth psalm,
most fitlyapply to our purpose. But lest we should entangle
and make intricate the course of this present treatise,I will
hereafter speak of the creation of the world, and of God's
government and providence in the same. At this present it

shall sufficeto know^, that heaven and earth and all that is
therein do declare to us, and set as it were before our eyes,
an evident argument that God, he is most wise, is also
as
most mighty, wonderful, of an infinite of an incom-

majesty,
\} vicissitude, Lat.]
[2 Basil. 0pp. Tom. i, pp. 1 87. Par. 1721, Ambros.
"
0pp. Tom.
I. pp. 2"
142. Par. 1686.]
[3 agnoscere, Lat. ; to acknowledge.]
III.]
prehensible glory, most just,most gracious, and most excel-

lent^.
Esay therefore, a faithful teacher of the church,
giving good counsel for the state of mortal men, doth say
unto them^: "Lift up your eyes on high, and consider whoisas.xi.

hath made these things that come forth by heaps'^, calhng
them all by thcu* names ; whose strength is so great, that
none of them doth fail." For although that even from the
beginning the stars have shined to the world, and have in
their course performed that for which they were created ;
yet are they not worn by use, nor by continuance'^ con-
sumed
away or darkened ought at all ; for by the power
of their maker they are
preserved whole. Jeremy also
:
"
O Lord, there is none hke unto thee. Thou art ""
crieth "ler-
Who
great, and great is thy name with power. would not
fear thee, O king of the Gentiles ? For thine is the glory :
for among all the wise men of the heathen, and in all their
kingdoms, there is none that may be hkened unto thee." And
immediately after again :
"
The Lord God is a true and living
God and king ^: if he be wroth, the earth shaketh, neither
can the Gentiles abide his indignation. He made the earth
with his power ; with his wisdom doth he order the whole
he spread
compass of the world ; and with his discretion hath
the heavens out. At his voice the waters gathered together
in the air3; he draweth up the clouds from the uttermost
parts of the earth ; he turneth lightning to rain, and bringeth
the winds out of their treasures^".''
Or else the works of God are set forth for us to behold in
man, the very lord and prince of all creatures : not so much in
the workmanship or
making of man, which Lactantius and
Andreas Wesalius^^ have passingly pamted out for all men to
see ; as in the works or in man, or by man,

which toward man,
[4 maximum, Lat. omitted ; most

great.]
[5 optime, Lat. omitted; exceeding well.]
[6 producens in numero exercitum eorum, Lat. ; Coverdale's ren-
dering,
1535, is like the translatoi-'s.]
["^vetustate, Lat.]
[8 Deus et rex scmpiternus, Lat. ; God and an everlasting king.]
[9 ingens aquarum vis in atire erit, Lat.]
[ii^tlieir treasm-ies, Coverdale, 1535. liistreasures, Auth. Ver.]
[11Lactantii de Opificio Dei, capp. 8 19. Andrew
" Vesalius, a
"
celebrated anatomist and physician, bom at Brussels about a.d. 1514,
wrote a work, De humani corporis fabrica.]

152 THE FOURTH DECADE, [sERM.
the Lord himself doth finishand bring to pass. For God doth
justlypunish some men; and by punishing them he doth declare
that he knoweth the dealings of mortal men, and hateth all
wrong and injury.Upon other ho heapeth up very large and
ample benefits ; and in being bountiful unto them he declareth
that he is rich, yea, that he is the fountain of goodness that
cannot be drawn dry, that he is bountiful, good, merciful,
gentle, and long-suffering. Hereof there are innumerable
examples in the history of the Bible. Cain, for the murder
committed upon his brother, lived here in earth a miserable

and wretched life: for the just Lord doth revenge the
blood-shed of the innocent. The firstworld was drowned in
^ laid on it for the contempt of
the deluge ; a plague was
God ; but Noah and his were saved in the ark by the mercy
of God. God bringeth Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees,
and placeth him in the land of Canaan, blessing and loading

him with all manner of goods. He doth wonderfully keep
Jacob in all his troubles and infinitecalamities. Through
great afflictionshe lifteth up Joseph from the prison^ unto
the throne of Egypt : he doth grievously plague the Egyp-
tians
for the tyranny shewed in oppressing Israel, and for
the contempt of his commandment. But it would be too long
and tedious to make a beadrow of all the examples. Now

by these and such like works of God we learn who, and how
great, our God is,how wise he is,how good, how mighty,

how liberal,how rightful ; and withal we learn that
justand
we must believe and in all things obey him. For Asaph
psai. ixxviii.
saith: "The thinss that we have heard and known, and
such as our fathers have told us, those we will not hide from
our sons ; but
will shew to the generations to come the
praise of the Lord, his mighty and wonderful works which
he hath done : that the children which are born, when they
come to age, may shew their children the same ; that they
may put their trust in God, and not forget the works of
God, but keep his commandments." And so as folioweth in
the seventy-eighth Psalm.
God is Another way to know God bv, next
"
to this, is that
shadowed to., ^
"
n -i
us by com-
-whicliis oil
gathered upon comparisons: for the scripture doth
pansons. -i _
compare all the most excellent things in the world with God,
[1 immisso ccelitus,Lat. omitted ; which was sent from heaven.]
[2 from the prison, not in Lat.]
in.]
"vrhom it preferretli before them all; so that we may thereby

gather, that God is the chief good, and that his majestyis
incomprehensible. This one place of Esay may stand instead
"
of many, where in the fortieth chapter he saith : Who hath iâi. xi.
measured the waters with his fist? Who hath measured hea-
ven
with his span ? Who hath held the dust of the earth
betwixt three fingersând weighed the mountains'* and hills
in a balance ? Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord ?
Who gave him counsel ? Who taught him ? Who is of his
counsel, to instruct him ? Behold, all people are in compa-

rison
of him drop
of a bucket-full,and counted as the
as a
least thing that the balance weigheth. Yea, he shall cast

out the isles as the smallest crumb of dust. Libanus were
not sufficient to minister him wood to burn, nor the beasts
thereof were enough for one sacrifice unto him. All people
in comparison of him are reckoned as nothing ; and if they
be compared with him, they are counted as less than nothing, isas. xi.
Understand ye not this? hath it not been preached unto

you since the beginning ? have ye not been taught this by^
the foundation of the earth ? It is he that sitteth upon the
circle of the world, whose inhabiters are (in comparison of
him) but as grasshoppers. He spreadeth out the heavens
as covering, and stretcheth them out as a tent to dwell in.
a
He bringeth princes to nothing, and maketh the judgesof

the earth as though they were not^." And so forth. To
this place now do belong the Prosopopeial speeches of God,
of which thou shalt find sundry and many, beside the visions
which we placed in the second
way or mean to know God.
But the most excellent are extant in the eighteenth Psalm,
and in the fifth chapter of Salomon's Ballad' : both which I
pass over untouched, because I mean not to stay you too
long ; for we must descend to the other points.
Last of all, God is known by the sayings or sentences ood is
uttered by the mouths
" of the prophets and apostles
J-
; of tê sayings
^ ^
.
and sentences
which sort is that notable speech of Jeremy^, where he saith: oftnepro-
[^ So Vulgate and Coverdale, 1535.]

["*in statera, Lat. omitted ; in scales.]
[5 a, Lat. ; from; since, Coverdale, 1535.]
[6 ut sint inanes, Lat.]
[' Salomon's Balettes, called Cantica Canticorum ; Coverdale, 1535.
See Fulke's Defence, "c. ed. Parker Soc, pp. 571,
572.]
[8 beati Jeremise, Lat.]
phetsand "Let Hot tho "wisG glory in his wisdom, nor the strons:
man '
"/ o o
apostles.
jer. ix.' man in his strength, nor the rich man in his riches': but
let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth
and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, and do mercy, judg-

ment,
and righteousness upon earth : therefore am I dehghted
in such things alone, saith the Lord." Now by the mercy of
God we are saved, and adorned with sundry great benefits;
by his judgmenthe punisheth the wicked and disobedient
according to their deserts,and therewithal he keepeth equity :
even as also his righteousness doth truly perform that which
he promiseth. Therefore we say that God is a Saviour, a
liberal giver of all good things, an upright Judge, and as-
sured
truth in performing his promises.
And hither now is to be referred the doctrine of the
prophets and apostles, which teacheth that to be the true

God is one in knowledffo of God, that acknowledgeth God to be one in
"
essence, or "
. "
z-i i /" i
beuig. essence, and three in persons. Concernmg the unity oi the
divine essence (by the allegation whereof the pluraUty of the
heathen gods are utterly
rejected and flatly condemned),I
will cite those testimonies out of the holy scripture that seem
to be more evident and excellent than all the other, which
are in number so many that a man can hardly reckon them
all. The notablest is that which is grounded upon the prophetical
and evangelical authority, and, being cited out of the
Deut vi. sixth chapter of Deuteronomy, is in the twelfth of Mark set
down in these words : "
Jesus said. The firstof all the com-
mandments
is. Hearken, Israel, the Lord our God is one
Lord. thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
And
heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy
strength. This is the first commandment. And the second

like this is,Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There
is none other commandment greater than these." It followeth
now in the gospel ; And the Scribe said, "Well, Master,
"
thou hast said the truth ; that there is one God, and that
there is other but he ; and that to love him with all
none
the heart, with all the mind, with all the soul, and with all
the strength, and to love a man's neighbour as himself, is
greater than all the burnt-offerings and sacrifices." With
this testimony also do all the other notable ones agree, that
[1 uequo glorictur, Lat. ; repeated in these two sentences, but
omitted by the translator.]

III.]
arc in the law. For in the twentieth of Exodus we read, kxou. xx.
that the Lord himself with his own mouth did in mount
Sina say : " I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out
of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage ; have
thou none other gods but me-." Again, Moses in the end of
his song bringeth in God saying : " See now how that I, I oeut. xxxii.
am God, and there is

other God but L
none I kill,and
make alive again : I wound, and I heal, neither is there any
that can deUver out of my hand." With the testimonies in
the law do those of the prophets also agree. For David in
the eighteenth Psalm saith : The way of God is an undcfiledPsai. xviii.
"
way, the word of the Lord also is tried in the fire. He is

the defender of all them that put their trust in him. For
who is God but the Lord ? or who hath any strength^ except
our God ?" There
of this sort many other places in the
are
volume of the Psalms. The Lord in Esay and by Esay isa.. xin.
crietliand saith: "I am the Lord, Hu' is my name, and or.twsismy

"*"
my glory will I not give unto any other, nor mine honour
to graven images."" "
I am the first and the last,and beside isau xuv.
me there is no God. And who is like to me ? (Ifany be),

let him call forth and openly shew the thing that is past,
and lay before me what hath chanced since I appointed the
people of the world ^; and let him tell what shallhappen
hereafter, and come to pass." "
I the Lord
do all things, I
spread out the heavens alone, and I only have laid forth the
earth by myself. I make the tokens of witches of none
eifect,and make the soothsayers fools. As for the wise, I
turn them backward, and make their wisdom foolishness. I
set up of my servant, and do fulfilthe counsels of
the word
my messengers."
"
I am the Lord, and there is else none ; isai. xu-.
which createth^ light and darkness, and maketh peace and
trouble: yea, even I the Lord do all these things." To
these testimonies of the prophets we will now add one or
two out of Saint Paul, the

great instructor and apostle of
the Gentiles. He in his Epistle to Timothy saith : There "
i xim. u.
is one God, and one mediator of God and men, the man
Christ Jesus." And again he saith ;
"
One Lord, one faith,Ephes. w.
[2 coram me, Lat. ; before

me.]
[3 quis est petra, Lat. ; who is a rock, Auth. Ver.]
[* See above, page 132.] [5 populum seculi, Lat.]
[6 created, ed. 1577.]
one baptism, and Father of all,which is above all,

one God
and through all,and in you all." Again, the same apostle
1 Cor. viii. to the Corinthians saith : " There is none other God but one.
And though called gods, whether in heaven

there be that are
or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many

;) yet
unto us there is but one God, even the Father, of whom are
all things,and in him ; and one

we Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom are all things, and we by him." Now I suppose

these divine testimonies are evident enough, and do sufficiently
prove that God in substance is one, of essence sible,
incomprehen-
eternal, and spiritual,
intheone But uudor the ono essence of the Godhead the holy
God there is
a distinction
scripturo doth shew us a distinctionof the Father, of the Son,
" "
i /-v i
of persons,
and of the Holy Ghost. Now note here, that I call it a dis-
tinction
not a division or a separation. For we adore and
worship no more Gods yet thatbut one : so we do neither
confound, nor
yet deny to take away ^ the three subsistences
or persons of the divine essence, nor the properties of the
KoettisHas samo. Nootus (Auoctus in very deed.) and Sabellius the
inuoh to say,
.
iiiii i i
godless, bold, and very rude ass, of whom

Libyan,
man of a
â sprang
up *^" gross heresy of the Patripassians, taught that the
wwchllrmFather,
tho Son, and the Holy Ghost did import no distinction
rrôVe'l^name
in God, but diverse attributes of God.
that they For
were
Aiioî^^'
foo"!or'on''ethoy Said that God is none otherwise called the Father, the
derstanding. Sou, and the Holy Ghost, than when he is named good, just,
Jrrorôf uie gcntlc, Omnipotent, wise, "c. They said, the Father created
the world ; the same in the name of the Son took flesh and
p^'sVans.
suffered ; and again, in changing his name, he was the Holy
Ghost that came upon the disciples. But the true, propheti-
cal,
and apostolical faith doth expressly teach, that the names
of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost do shew to us
what God is in his own proper nature. For naturally and
eternally God is the Father, because he did from before be-

ginning
unspeakably beget the Son. The same God is
naturally the Son, because he was from before beginnings

begotten of the Father. The same God is naturally the Holy
Ghost, because he is the eternal Spirit of them both, proceed-
ino; from both-, beins: one and the same God both with them^.
[1 negaiites auferamus, Lat. ; deny or take away, ed. 1577.]

[2 from them both, ed. 1577.]
[3 An error in all the editions for, with them both.]
III.] OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 157
And in the scriptures he is called a gentle, good, wise,

when
merciful, and justGod, it is not thereby so much expressed
what he is in himself, as what a one he doth exhibit himself
to us. Thescripture doth openly say, that the Father
same
created all things by the Son : and that the Father descended
not into the earth, nor took our flesh upon him, nor suffered
for us ; for the Son I went out from the Father,
saith,
"
john xvi.
and came into the world ; again, I leave the world, and go
unto the Father." The same Son falling prostrate in the
mount of Olives prayeth, saying, "Father, if it be possible,let Matth.xxvi.
this cup pass from me." Again, in the gospel he saith, I joimxiv. "
will pray to the Father, and he shall give you another Com-
forter^."
Lo, here he saith,the Father shall give you another
Comforter. And yet again, lest by reason of those persons
and properties of those persons we should separate or divide
the divine nature, the Son in the gospel saith, " I and the Fa- johnx.
ther are one." For when he saith "one," he overthroweth them
that separate or rent the divine substance or nature : and when ne speaueth
he saith, " We are," and not "I am," therein he refuteth them
that do confound the subsistences or persons in the Trinity.
Therefore the apostolic and catholicdoctrine teacheth and doth
confess, that they are three, distinguished in properties ; and
that of those three there is but one and the same nature, or
essence,- the same omnipotency, goodness, and wisdom.

majesty,
For althougli there be an order in the Trinity, yet can there
be no inequality in it at all. None of them is in time before
other, or in dignity worthier than other : but of the three
there is one Godhead, and they three are one and eternal God.
And
the primitive church verily under the apostles, and
the times that came next after them, did believe so simply, de-
spising
and curious
rejecting needless disputa- a disputation
questions and
tions. And even then too did arise pestilentmen in the church sprung up.
of God, speaking perverse apostle doth Actsxx.

things, whom the
call grievous wolves, not sparing the flock."
"
upon good cause
They firstbrought in^ very strange and dangerous questions,
and sharpened their blasphemous tongues against heaven itself.

For they stood in it,that three persons could not be one nature
or essence ; and therefore that, by naming the Trinity, the
Christians worshipped many Gods, even as the heathen do.
[* alium paracletum vel consolatorem, Lat.]
["5
contexuerunt, Lat.]
And again, since there can be but one God, they infer
consequently, that the same God is Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost unto himself. For so it was agreeable that they should
doat in folly,whom the word of God did not lead, but the
gross imagination of mortal flesh: and God did by these means
punish the giant-like boldness of those men, whose minds,
being without all reverence and fear of God, did wickedly
strive to fasten the sight of the eyes of the flesh upon the
very face of God. But the faithfuland vigilantoverseers and
pastors of the churches were compelled to drive such wolves
from the folds of Christ's sheep, and valiantly to fight for the
What
were
terms Sincere and cathohc truth, that is,for the Unity and Trinity,
usurped ^ , , ,
n ^ i- "
'"ute'tfon'" monarchy and mystery of the dispensation. That

strifebred forth divers words, with which it was necessary to
hold and bind those slippery merchants ^ Therefore imme-
diately
after the beginning there sprang up the terms of
Unity, Trinity, essence, substance, and person. The Greeks
for the most part used ousia, hypostasis, and j)ii"osopon'^
: which
we call essence, subsistence, and person.

Of these again there did in the churches spring up new
and fresh contentions^ They disputed sharply of the essence

and subsistence, whether they are the same or sundry things.
For Ruffinus Aquileiensis,in the twenty-ninth chapter and first
book of his ecclesiasticalhistory, saith : " There was moved
a controversy about the difference of substances and sub-
Essence and sistences,which the Greeks call ovaias and vTroaTaaei?. For
subsistence, somo Said that substance and subsistence seem to be all one ;
and because we say not that there are three substances in

God, therefore that we ought not to say, that there are three
subsistences in him. But on the other side again, they that
took substance for one thing and subsistence for another did
say, that substance notetli the nature of a thing and the
reason whereupon it standeth ; but that the subsistence of every
person doth shew that very thing which doth subsist*."
[1 homines, Lat.] [2 ovcrla,vTroaraa-is, Trpocranrov,Lat.]

[3 postorioribus annis, Lat. omitted ; in after years.]
[* Sed et de diflfercntiasubstantiarum ct subsistentianim scnno eis
per scripturam motus est. Grscci ova-las et vTroaraa-fis vocant. Quidam
etenim dicebant substantiam et subsistentiam unum vidcri; et quia
tres substantias non dicimus in Deo, nee tres subsistentias dicero
debeamus. Alii vero, quibus longe aliud substantia quam subsistentia
III.]
^
learned epistle to his brother gory
Basilius Magnus wrote a Gre-
about the difference of essence and subsistence^. And
Hermius Sozomenus, in the twelfth chapter of his fifth book
of Histories, saith: "The bishops of many cities,meeting toge-

ther
at Alexandria do, together with Athanasius and Eusebius
Yercellensis, confirm the decrees of Nice, and confess that the
Holy Ghost is co-essential with the Father and the Son, and
name them the Trinity ; and teach that the man, Avhich God
the Word took upon him, is to be accounted perfect man, not
in body only, but in soul also ; even as the ancient doctors
of the church did also think. But for because the question
about Ousia and Hypostasis did trouble the churches, and

that there were sundry contentions and disputations concern-
ing
the difference betwixt them ; they seem to me to have
determined very wisely, that those names should not at the
first presently be used in questions of God ; unless it were
that, when a man went about to beat down the opinion of
Sabellius, he were compelled to use them, lest by lack of
words should seem he

to call one and the same by three
names, when he should understand every one pecuharly in
that three-fold distinction''." Socrates in the seventh chapter
and third book of his History addeth :
"
But
they did not
bring into the church a certain new religion devised of them-
significarevidebatur, dicebant, quia substantia ipsa rei alicujusnaturam

rationemquo qua constat designet; subsistentia autem imiuscujusquc
personse hoc ipsum quod exstat et subsistit,ostendat. Eccles. Hist. "
Ruffino autore. Lib.

x. cap. 29. ed. Basil.
1539.]
[" scripsit et, Lat. ; also wrote.]
[(^Basil. 0pp. Ep. 43. ad Gregorium fratrem de ovaias ct vTroa-rd-

o-fcoff differentia. Tom. ii. p. 28. Basil. 1540. Or Tom. iii. p. 115.
Ep. 38. Paris, 1721.]
'Eu 8e TToWwv inltTKonoL ovveXOoures ds 'AXe^dvdpetau
['^ tovtw
noKeav
afxa ABavacrlio /cat 'Evcre^lco
rd dedoyfieva iv 'îKaia Kparvvovcriv opoovcnov
"
re Tw THaTpX Koi tw Yiw to

aytov Tlvevfia (OfioKoyrjcrav,Koi rpidda civo-
fiaaap' oii fiova re a-copari, dX\d Koi TeXeiov dvdpio-
XPV^'^''ô^dêtv
^//"vx.VJ
TTOV, ov 6 Qebs Aoyos dveXaêv, tols
Kadd Koi nakai
elcrrjyjcravTO, eKKXrjcria-
(TTiKols ({)iKoa6(f)ots idoKet. 8e iq Trepl inTocrrdcreas^rjTrjaii
eVet ttjsolaias Kal
Tas iKK\r](TiaserdpaTTe, Kal avxâl Trepl tovtcov epides Kal SuiKeêis rjo-av,
fv
pdXa ao(pMS'poi Sokovctiv Splcrai,p.ffi^ dp^^jsev6vs eVi Qeov tovtois
Xprjo-dai.TOLS dvopaai, TrkfjvrjVLKa ris rrjv 2a/3eXAtoi;86âv

eK^dXknv Tret-
prj dTropia 86^r]tIs rpial TTpoa-qyopiais KoKflv,
"
paTo iva
ovopdrcov ravTov
dXK iKaoTov Ib'iavooIto Sozomen, H. E. Lib. v. cap. 12. p. 198.
Tpixrj. "
ed. Reading. Cantab. 1720.]

IGO THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
selves, but that which from the beginning even tillthen the
tradition taught, and prudent Christians did evi-
ecclesiastical dently
set forth ^" And so forth.
All things Therefore away with the pope's champions to the place
that are to be
believed of
God are fully whereof they are worthy, which, when we teach that all
in
contained
points of true godliness and salvation are fully contained
the canonical
scriptures.
and taught in the canonical scriptures,by the way of
tion
objec-
do demand ; in what place of the scripture we find the
names
of Trinity, person, essence, and substance ; and finally,
where we find that Christ hath
reasonable soul ? For al-a
though
those very words consisting in those syllables are not
to be found in the canonical books (whichwere by the pro-
phets
and apostles written in another and not in the Latin
tongue),
yet the things, the matter, or substance, which those
words do signify, are most manifestly contained and taught
in those books : which things likewise all and every nation
may in their language express, and for their commodity and

necessity speak and pronounce them. Away also with all
sophisters, which think it a great point of learning to make
the reverend mystery of the sacred Tzînitydark and intri-cate
with their strange, their curious, and pernicious ques-
tions.
It is sufficientfor the godly, simply, according to the
scriptures and the apostles''creed to believe and confess, that

there is one divine nature or essence, wherein are the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Neither is it greatly material
whether ye call them substances, or subsistences,or persons,

so that
ye do plainly express the distinction betwixt them,
and each one's several properties ; confessing so the unity,
that yet ye confound not the Trinity, nor spoil the persons of
their properties.
Testimonies And it will do very welP out of the scriptures
here now
out of the
Gospel to
to cite such evident testimonies as may evidently prove the
prove the
Trinity.
mystery of the Trinity with the distinctionand several pro-
perties
of the three persons. The Lord in the Gospel after
[Matt xxviii. St Matthew saith : All power is given to me
"
in heaven and
19,20.]
in earth :
go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing
[ Ov yap veapi'ivriva dprjaKfMV

els rfjueKKXtjcriav flar'jyayov,
evTLvoâavTei
dWa '^'''
Trapddocris eXeye, kcu ciTrodeiKTiKws
uTVip f^ '^PX'i^ V (KKXrja-iaa'ri.Kr)
Tvapa Toh XpicTTiavwu croepols Socrates, II. E. Lib. III. cap.
{(piXocrocjiflro
7. p. 178. ed. Reading.]
[2 prsestat, Lat. ; it is better.]
III.]
them in the
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
name
Holy Ghost ; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever

I have commanded you." TertulHan, alleging those words '
Termiiian
J O O
. _ _
contra
against Praxea, saith :

"
He did last of all command his dis- I'raxcam.
ciplcs to baptize into the Father, and the Son, and the Holy-
Ghost. We are baptized not into one, nor once, but thrice
at every name, several person^." Thus much Tcr-
into every
tullian. Now as every several person is severally expressed,
so the divinity of them all is therein singularly taught to be
one and common to them all, because he biddeth to baptize,
not only into the name of the Father, but also of the Son,
and* the Holy Ghost. The apostle and elected vessel, Paul,
doth flatly deny that any man either ought to be, or ever
was, baptized^ into the name of any man which is nothing
else but mere man.
"
Were ye," saith he,
"
baptized in the i cor. \.
name of Paul ?" So then the Father is God, the Son is

God, and the Holy Ghost is God, into whose name we are
baptized.
The same Lord in the
after St John saith :Gospel
"
When the Comforter cometh, whom I will send unto you John xiv."
"/ xvi,
from the Father, that is, the Spirit of truth, he will lead you
into all truth. He shall not speak of himself: but whatso-
ever
he
shall hear, that shall he speak. He shall glorify
me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew unto you.
All things that the Father hath are mine : therefore said I
unto you, that he shall take of mine, and shew unto you."
In these words of the Lord's thou hearest mention made
of
the person of the Father from whom the Spirit is sent, of
the person of the Son which sendeth him, and of the person
of the Holy Spirit which cometh unto us. Thou hearest also
of the mutual and equal communion of the divinity and all

good things betwixt the three persons. For the Holy Ghost
speak eth not of himself, but that which he heareth.
"
He
shall," saith the Son,

"
take of mine." And again :
"
All
things that the Father hath are mine." And therefore what
[3 Novissime
mandans (Christus) ut tinguerent in Patrem
(discipuli)
et Filium et Spiritum Sanctum, non in unum : nam nee scmel, sed ter,
ad singula nomina in personas singulas tinguimur. " TertuU. adv. Prax.
cap. XXVI. Tom. ii. p. 199. ed. Semler.]

[4 and of, ed. 1577.]
[5 ab Apostolis, Lat. omitted ; by the Apostles.]
11
r -I
[bullingER, III,]
162 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sKRM.
tilingsthe Son hath, those the Father's : and the divinity,

are
glory, and majesty of them all is co-equal.

With these most evident speeches do these two manifest
johniii. testimonies of John^ Baptist agree. First he saith : "He
God hath sent doth speak the words of God; for
whom
God givctlinot the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father
loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He
that belicveth on the Son hath everlasting life, "c." Lo,
here again, in the one Godhead thou hearcst the three
sons
per-
distinguished by their properties : for the Father loveth
and sendeth the Son, and giveth all things into his hand;
the Son is sent, and receiveth all things; but the Holy Ghost
is given of the Father, and received of the Son according to
fulness. Then
again the same Baptist crieth the second time,
fjohni. and saith: "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like
32-34.] And I knew him not :
^^^^ ^ dove, and it abode upon him.
but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said
unto me. Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spiritdescending,
and tarrying stillupon him, the same is he which baptizeth
with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this
is the Son of God." Here again are shewed unto us, as
clearly the day-light, the three persons distinguished and
as
not confounded. For he that sendeth John is the Father :

the Holy Ghost is neither the Father, nor the Son, but ap-
peareth upon of Christ in the likeness of a dove :

the head
and the Son is the Son, not the Father, and that too the
Son of the Father, upon whose head the Holy Ghost did
abide. And now to this place doth belong the testimony of
Matth. iii the Father, uttered from heaven upon his Son Christ. For
" xvii.
he saith : "
This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
But and the same
one cannot be both father and
pleased,"
son unto himself. The Father is one, and the Son is one : and
yet not divers things, but one and the same God, of one and
the same nature. For the Son in one place doth most plainly
say :
"
I and the Father are one, "c."
Moreover, could be more
what clearly spoken for the
proof of the express distinction and properties of the three
persons in the reverend Trinity, than that where the angel
arch-
Gabriel in St Luke, declaring the sacrament^ of the
[1 beatissimi Joannis.]
[2 sacrament :
mystery.]
Ilt.j OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 1G3
Lord's incarnation, dotli evidently say unto the virgin, the
mother of God^: The Holy Ghost shall come

"
ûkei.
upon thee,
and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee ; there-
fore
also that holy thing that shall be born shall be called
the Son of God ?" What, I pray you, could have possibly
been invented of purpose to be manifestly spoken for
more
the proof of this matter, than these words of the angel ?

Thou hast here
the person of the Highest, that is, of the
Father, For in the words of the angel, a littleafore, it is
said : He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of

"
the Highest." Now the Son is the Son of the Father. AVe
have also the persons of the Son and of the Holy Ghost
expressed, with their properties, neither mingled nor con-
founded.
The Father is not incarnate, nor yet the Holy
Ghost, but the Son. To the Father
is born of the virgin a
Son, even he that was the Son by the eternal and able
unspeak-
manner of begetting. But the Holy Ghost, which is
the power of the Most Highest, did overshadow the virgin,
and made her with child. And so by this means thou mayest
see here the persons distinguished,not divided ; and how they
differ in properties, not in essence of deity, or in nature.
Here now (althoughthese places might seem to sufficeThe aposties*
testimonies
11 ,"\TMi
111 " "
ni
any reasonable man'*) i will yet add other testimonies oi the concerning
1 1 1 1 1 / "ie Trinity
holy apostles, and that too of three the most excellent among
all the apostles. St Peter, preaching the word of the Gospel

before the church of Israel, as Luke testifiethin the Acts
of
the Apostles, doth among other things say :
"
This Jesus Acts ii.
hath God raised up, and exalted him to his

right hand ; and
he, having received of the Father the promise of the Holy
Ghost, hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear."
Lo, God the Father raiseth up and doth exalt the Son : the
Son is raised up, exalted, and sltteth at the right hand
of
the Father : and the Son, receiving of the Father the Holy
Ghost, doth bestow it upon the apostles. Therefore the
Spirit proceedeth from the Father and the Son, subsisting in
his own person, but being one and the same Spirit of them
both. Moreover, in the sermon made at Cresarea in the con- Acts x.
gregation of the Gentiles, that is, in the house and family of

Cornelius the centurion, the same
apostle doth as plainly
[3 Deipara?, Lat.]
['*
any reasonable man, not in Lat.]
11"2
express the person of the Father, of the Son, and of the

IIolj Ghost ; and knitteth the Trinity together into one es-
sence
of the divine nature.

^
Rom. i. in the beginning of his Epistle to the Romans
St Paul
saith, that he was appointed to preach the gospel of God,
"
"which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy

scriptures,of his Son ; which was made of the seed of David
after the flesh, and hath been declared to be the Son of
God with power after the Spirit that sanctifieth^." Again,
Gal. iv. to the Galatians he saith : God sent his Son, made "
of a
woman, by adoption might receive the right of sons.
that we
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of
his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." And again,
Tit. iii. to Titus he saith "God according to his mercy hath saved
:
us by the fountain of regeneration and renewing of the

Holy Ghost ^, which he shed on us richly through Jesus Christ
our Saviour." Therefore St Cyril, speaking very truly of
the apostle Paul, Lihro in Joan. ix. cap. 45, doth say :
"
That holy man did rightly know the enumeration of the
sacred Trinity : and therefore he teacheth, that every person
doth properly and distinctly subsist; and yet he preacheth
identitas.
opouly the immutable selfsameness of the Trinity ^'''' Con-
cerning
which matter, if any man would gather together

and reckon up all the testimonies that Paul hath for the
proof of it, he must of necessity recite all his epistles.
1 John ii. blessed apostle and evangelistJohn doth more
The strongly
^ forth
and evidently than the other affirm and set the mystery
of the Trinity, and distinction of the persons, as
well in his
evangelical history as in his epistle. Among many this one
at this time shall be sufficient. In his canonical epistle he
saith: "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is Christ?

The same is antichrist,that denieth the Father and the Son.
Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father.
[1 Apostolus, Lat. omitted.]

[2 per potentiam et Spiritum sanctificantem, Lat.]
[3 Per lavacrum regenerationis ac renovationis, "c.]
[4 olbe yap rfji oyi'as Ka\ 6[jioov(riovrpiaSos Tt)vanapiQyLrjcnv,Koi IBia
lieu eKacTTOV Totv SiSacr/cei,
crr]paivop{V(ov to
ye pr]i"ev anapaWaKTto
iKpecrTcivat
ravrorijTt t^v ayiav rpiaSa 8iaKT)piiTT"i Cyril. 0pp. Lib.
Keta-dai. aacjicis.
"
IX. in Joann. Tom. iv. p. 812. Lutet. 1638.]
[5 ceteris, Lat. ; the

others.]
111.]
Therefore let that abide in you whicli you have heard from
the beginning." And presently after he saith again: "Ye
need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing
teacheth you of all things, and it is true, and not lying." In
these words ye hear the Father, ye hear the Son, ye hear the
anointing, that is,the Holy Ghost. The Father is not the
Son ; the Son is not the Father ; neither is the Holy Ghost the
Father, or the Son : but the Father is the Father of the Son,
the Son is the Son of the Father, and the Holy Ghost*' pro-
ceedeth from them both ; and yet those persons are so joined
and united, that he which denieth one of them hath in him
none of them. Yea, whosoever denieth this Trinity is pro-
nounced
to be antichrist: for he denieth God, which is one
in Trinity and three in Unity ; and so consequently confound-

ing
or taking away the properties of God, he denieth God to
be such a one as he is in very deed.
Now
I suppose that these so many and so manifest testi-
monies
do suffice the godly ; for they beheve the scriptures,
and do not over-curiously pry into the majestyof God, being

content with those things alone wherein it hath pleased God
of his goodness to appear and shine to us mortal men. Some ^J'fhTTrl

there are which do their endeavour by certain parables or
by^^mm"^'
'"'^^^"
similitudes to shadow this matter ; that is to say, to shew how
the three persons are said to be distinguished,and yet notwith-
standing
to be one God. But in all the things that God hath
made (asI did admonish you in the beginning of this treatise)

there is nothing which can properly be likened to the nature
of God : neither are there any words in the mouth of men
that can properly be spoken of it : neither are there any
similitudes of man's invention that can rightly and squarely
agree with the divine Essence. And St Basil, disputing

de Ousia Hijpostasi, saith: "It cannot be that the com-
et parisons
of examples should in all points be like to those
things, to the use whereof the examples do serve ^." Thou
mayest say that injury is done to the of God, if it be majesty

compared with mortal things. But for because the holy scrip-
ture
doth not a littlecondescend and attemper itselfto our
[6 unctio autem, Lat. ; and the

anointing.]
\^ oil yap bvvaTov icrrt.
Bia iravTcnv to
ecpapfiocrdrjvaiTois iv vtrobeiyyiafTt
Secopovpevov rois Trpos a ra"p Basil.
t) vTvobeiypdrcov XP^'-^ TrapaXaplSdverai. "
0pp. Epist. 38. Tom. p. 169. Paris.

m.
1839.]
infirmity,I "willput a similitude,although in very deed much

unlike, which is usually taken and commonly used. Behold
the sun and the beams that come from it,and then the heat
that proceedeth from them both. As the sun is the head-
spring
of the light and the heat, so is the Father the head-
spring
of the Son, who is light of light : and as of the sun
and the beams together the heat doth come, so of the Father
and the Son together the Holy Ghost proceedeth. But now
put case or imagine that the sun were

such as never had
beginning, nor ever shall have ending ; and should not then, I
pray you, the beams of this everlasting sun be everlasting
too ? And should not the heat, which proceedeth of them
both, be everlasting,as well as they ? Finally, should not the
sun be one stillin essence or substance, and three by reason
Tertuuian
of the three subsistences or persons ? This parable of the sun
contra -.
i-iii
Praxeam, did iertullian use, do also contain other
whose words, which
I 'ô"'"i
^'ishsimilitudes,I will not be'grieved
o
to recite unto you. "I will not '^^
the skilful in j
tonê'to
doubt (saith he)to callboth the stalk of a root, the brook of a
Ifmiiit'Ji'de
in spring-hcad, and a beam of the sun, by the name of a son;
for every original is a parent, and everything that issueth
of
cop^rfo"
here trans-
^
that Original is a son : much more then the Word God
of
rerbum.yet (mav bo callod a Son), which
^ properly hath the name
even
of
our English ''
.,.,
n
tongue will Son : and yet neither is the stalk separated from the root, nor '
not bear it so ^
""" ^
Latin doth.^
^^" brook from the spring-head, nor the beam from the sun ;
no more separated from God, Therefore accord-
is the Word ing
to the fashion of these examples I profess that I say there
are two, God and his Word, the Father and his Son. For the
root and the stalk are two things, but joined in one ; and
the spring-head and the brook are two kinds, but undivided ;
and the sun and the beams are two forms, but both cleavinsr
the one to the other. Everything
that cometh of anything
must needs be second to that out of which it cometh, and
yet it is not separated from that from which it proceedeth.
But where a second is, there are two ; and where a third is,
there are three. For the third is the Spirit of God and the
Son ; even as the third from the root is the fruit
of the stalk,
the third from the spring-head is the river of the brook, and
the third from the sun is the heat of the beam : yet none
of
these is alienated from the matrix, of which they take the
properties that they have. So the Trinity, descending by
annexed and hnked degrees from the Father, doth not make
OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 1G7
Ill,]
against the monarch}*, and doth defend the economical state,

*
or unity,
that is, the mystery of the dispensation. Understand every-

where
that I this rule, wherein I testify that the
profess
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, are unseparated one
from another ; and so thou shalt know how everything is
spoken ^" And so forth ; for all these are the words of
Tertullian, who flourishedin Africa, not long after the age of
the apostles.
But letting pass the parables, similitudes,or comparisons The certainty
of man's invention, let us stedfastly believe the evident word Jj,'"'i,'""

^""''y-
of God. AVhat man's capacity cannot attain unto, that let
faith hold fast. the sacred scriptures declare unto us,
What
what Christ in his flesh did teach us, what was by so many
miracles confirmed for our sakes^, what the Spirit of God in

the true church that must be thought more
doth tell us, true
and certain than that which is proved by a thousand demon-

strations,
or that which all thy senses are able to conceive.
Paul denieth that he would hear an angel, if he should speak
Yea surely, it is
anything contrary to the gospel of Christ.
a prank of arrogant foolishness,to doubt of the things that
are in the scriptures with so great authority laid forth and
taught us : but it is a greater madness, if a man will not
[1 Nee dubitaverim filium dicere et radicis fruticem, et fontis

fluvium, et solis radium ; quia omnis origo parens est, et omne quod
est: multo magis Sermo Dei, qui etiam
ex origine profertur progenies
filiiaccepit : nee frutex tamen a radice, nee fluvius a
propria nomen
fonte, a discernitur, sicut nee a Deo Sermo. Igitur,
nee radius sole
horum exemplorum formam, profiteer me duos dicere, Deum
secundum
Filium ipsius. Nam et frutex
et Sermonem ejus,Patrem et ct radix
dua3 res sunt, ; et fons et flumen duse species sunt, sed
sed conjunctte
indivisfe ; et sol et radius duse formse sunt, sed cohserentes. Omne
ex aliquo, secundum sit ejus necesse est de
quo prodit;
quod prodit
non ideo tamen est separatum. Secundus autem ubi est, duo sunt :
et tertius ubi est, tres sunt. Tertius enim est Spiritus a Deo et Filio,
frutice; et tertius fonte, rivus
sicut tertius a radice, fructus ex a ex
flumine ; et tertius a
sole, apex radio ex ; nihil tamen
matrice alie- a
a propi'ietates suas ducit. Ita trinitas, per consertos et con-

natur, qua
nexos gradus a Patre decurrens, et monarchise nihil obstrepit, et oIkovo-
fiias statum protegit. Hanc me regulam professum, qua inseparatos
ab alterutro Patrem et Filium et Spiritum tester, tene ubique : et ita,
quid quomodo dicatur, agnosces. TcrtuU. adv. Prax. capp. 8 and 9,

"
pp. 157, 158.]

[2 for our sakes, not in Lat.]
168 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SEKM.
believe the oracles of God for other cause but for that
none
our
understanding cannot attain to the knowledge of all
things, when as nevertheless we know that our understanding
is naturally blind and hateth God- Among philosophers he
is counted an impudent fellow which the authority
rejecteth
of any notable and approved writer. It was enough to per-
suade
the scholars of Pythagoras for a man to say to them,
auTos
"
he said it." And then dareth a Christian seek
ecpt],
starting-holes,and jangle about asking of curious questions,
when it is said unto him, 'God said it,and taught thee to
believe it?' No man doubteth of the king's letters patents,
if so be the seal be acknowledged : therefore what a folly is
it to doubt of the divine testimonies,which are so evident, and
firmly sealed with the Spirit of God !
The sum of Whcrefore, that I may here recapitulate and brieflyexpress
believed con-
ths
tho principal sum of this our exposition, I will recite unto you,
cerninff
irinity. dearly beloved, the words of the holy father Cyril, which are
to be found Libro cap. 30, in the sense
in Joan. follow-
ing
ix.
:
"
True faith is in God the Father, and in the Son, not
simply, but incarnate, and in the Holy Ghost. For the holy
and consubstantial Trinity is distinguished by the differences

of names, that is,by the properties of the persons. For the
Father is the Father, and not the Son : and the Son is the
Son, and not the Father : and the Holy Ghost is the Holy
Spirit proper to the Father and the Son. For the substance
of the Deity is all one, or the same : wherefore we preach
not three, but one God. Therefore we must believe in
God ; but, distinctlyand fully expounding our faith, we
more
must so believe, that we may refer the same glorificationto

every person. For there is no difference of faith. For we
ought not to have a greater faith in the Father than in the
Son, and in the Holy Ghost ; but the measure and manner of
it must be one and the same, equally consisting in each of the
three persons : so that by this means we may confess the
unity of nature in the trinity of persons. This faith must
firmly be grounded in our minds, which is in the Father, and in
the Son, (and the Son, I say, even after that he was made
and in the Holy Ghost ^" Thus much out of Cyril.
man,)
\} Aet yap TncTTfvfiv tovs ocye opdus, eis ye Qeov Tzarepa,
(fipovovaiv
Koi ov)( mrXcos els vlov, aWa koi Koi els to
evavOpcoTrrjaavra, TTvevpa to
ayiov. rj pev yap re /cat

rpias Ka\ rals tcop Sia-
ayla opoovaios uvoparojv
III.] OF GOD, A^D THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 169
Now all these points shall be thoroughly confirmed with more

fulltestimonies, when we come once to prove the divinity of
the Son of God, and of the Holy Ghost ; which I mean to
reserve tilltime convenient.
Butlet no 2 man think that this belief of the unity and The mystery
trinity of the Godhead was either invented by the fathers Trinity was
'kno"ntothe
or bishops of the churches, or first of all preached by the
'^ ^
. patriarchs
apostles immediately upon Christ his death and ascension2. and prophets.
For after the same manner that I have hitherto declared

unto you, even from the beginning of the world
did all the
holy patriarchs, prophets, and elect
people of God beheve and
ground their faith. Although I deny not but that the mystery
of the Trinity was more
clearly expounded to the world
by Christ, yet is it evident by some undoubted testimonies,
which I will add anon, that the mystery of the Trinity was
very well known unto the patriarchs and the prophets. But
firstby the way I willadmonish
you, that the holy patriarchs
and prophets of God did hold themselves content with the
bare revelation and word of God, not
raising curious ques-
tions
about the unity and trinity of God. They did clearly
understand that there is one God, the Father of all,the only
Saviour and author of allgoodness ; and that without or beside
him there is none other God at all. And they again did
evidently see, that the Son of God, that promised Seed, hath
all things common with the Father : for they did most plainly
hear that he is called the Saviour,
and is the Redeemer,
Kai Tcov IdioTtjcri

diaareXXerai '
(jiopais npoa-anrav re
rrotorijal Kai
Trarrjp yap
iariv 6 TTaTTjp,Ka\ ovx vios, iralvlos naXip 6
vlos, Koi ov Trarfjp,koi irvevpa
TO rrvevfia to
ayiov Ihiov deorqTos Ka\ els tov avTov
'
dvaKe-
tjJs ttjs ovaias
Xoyov, ov Qeou
(fiaXaiovTai Tpels "qplv, aXK' eva
eniypacpoviTa. nXfju ev8ia-
aroXas (pVI^'' ^^'^ ^H-as Troiiia-daittjv ttIcttiv,
ovx anXas XeyovraSfTna-Tevopev
els Qeov, aXX iâirXovvTas Tr]v opoXoyiav, Ka\ eKaa-Tco Trpoa-corrcotov avrou
86^r]s d varideuTas Xoyov. 8ia(popci iv '
TTJs yap TTia-Tecos

ov8ep,ia pev rfplv
iv riplv rj ttI(ttisiv
ov yap pev
pei^cov vrarpl,iXuTTav 8e iv vla",fj /cat iv rc3
dyia 7rvevp.aTi dXX' eis
'
re
Ka\ avTOs ttjs6p,oXoyias Spas re Ka\ Tporros 8ia
Tpiav ipxopivos ovoparcov iv itro) tw
peTpat, iva irpos evoTqra (pvcrecos Ka\
bia TOVTWV lovaa
(paivrjTai ttoXiv t] ayia Tpias, aKUTrjyopTjTOS Te
iravTeXais r]
TTepXavTTjv tiaXapTTOvaa Soâ,Kai iv Ta7s rjpeTepais opaTo yj/vxals els narepa
KUL eis
vlov T) TTtCTTis, Ka\ ore yeyovev avOpanos, (cat els to nvevpa to ayiov.
Cyril. 0pp. Lib. ix. in Joann. Tom. iv. p. 762. Lutet.
1638.]
[2 let a man, an error in all the editions.]
[3 Ckristi seculo, Lat.]
from whom all good things do proceed and are bestowed
upon the faithful; whereby now it was easy for them to

gather that the Father and the Son are one God, although
they differ in properties. For insomuch as they were as-
suredly
certain that the damnable doctrine of the plurality
of gods did spring from the devil, they did not worship
many but one God, whom notwithstanding they did believe
to consist of a trinity of persons. For Moses, the undoubted ^
of God, in the very firstverse of his firstbook saith :

Gen. i.
servant
As who
"
In the beginning (creavit Dii) God created heaven and
^
should say, . .
, , i /" i "
i
Ho loiueth here
Gods created,
respecting
earth." "
a verb of the smgular o
number to
^ ^
* nounof the plural number, not to make incongruity of

onheGod-
^^^'
speech, but to note the mystery of the Trinity. For the
sense is as if he should have said, That God^ which doth
consist of three persons created heaven and earth. For a

littleafter God, consulting with himself about the making^
of man, doth say, Let us make in our image.""

Lo, here
he saith, " Let us make," and not,
"
Let me
make," or,
"
I
will make." And again he saith, In our

**
image," and not,
"
In my image." But lest any man should think that this
consultation had with the angels, let him hear what God
was
[isai.
xiiv.
himself doth say in Esay :
"
I the Lord," saith he, make
"
all things, and stretch out the heavens alone of myself,"

is,
(that of mine own power, without any help or fellow with
me,) "and set the earth fast." Therefore the Father consulted
with the Son, by whom also he created the world. And
again, lest any man should think, as the Jews that

object,
these things after the order and custom of men
were spoken
of God in the plural number for honour's sake and worship,
thou mayest hear what followeth in the end of the third
chapter :
"
Behold, this man is become as one of us, in knowing
good and evil." Now here, by enallage he putteth these

become," shall happen :"
"
words, is become," for

" "
shall or,
so that his meaning is as if he should have said, Behold, "
the same shall happen to Adam that shall come to one of us,"
that is,to the Son ; to wit, that he should have trial of good
fortunes, namely
and evil,that is, that he should feel sundry
sickness, calamities, and death, and (asthe proverb is)should
feel both sweet and sour ; for that is the lot or condition
[1 eximius, Lat.] P Deus ille trinus, Lat. "
P.]
[3 de produccndo vol condendo, Lat.]
III.]
of man. But the Son being incarnate for us, not the Father
nor the Holy Ghost, found in shape as a
was man, and had
trial of sundry fortunes and of death : which
was foretold to
Adam, as it is manifest, for consolation's sake, and not in the
way of mockage. For as the good Lord did with a garment
strengthen the body of our first parent* against the unsea-
sonableness of the air, when for his sin he purposed to banish

him out of paradise ; so did he comfort and cheer up his
sorrowful mind with a full example of the Son's incarnation

and suffering. And when he had so armed him in bodyand
soul, he casteth him out of the garden of felicity into a
careful and miserable exile.

There are in every place many examples of this matter
like unto this. For Abraham saw three ; but with them three oen. xviu.
he talked as with one, and worshipped one. And, " The Lord
rained upon Sodom and Gomorrha brimstone and fire from cen. xix.
the Lord out of heaven, and overthrew those cities." But

lest any man should interpret it and say, The Lord rained
from the Lord, that is, from heaven ; he himself doth pre-
sently
add, "From heaven." For as the Father created all
things by the Son, so doth he by him
preserve all things,
and doth even stillby him work all things.
Next
after Moses, the notablest prophet, David, in his
Psalm^ doth say : "
By the word of the Lord were the hea- rsai. xxxin.
vens made, and all the hosts of them by the breath of his
mouth." So here thou hearest that there is one Lord, in
whom is the Word
and the Spirit,both distinguished but not
separated. For the Lord made the heavens, but by the
Word : and the whole furniture of heaven doth stand by the
breath of the mouth of the Lord. The same David saith :
"
The Lord
said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Psai. ex.
until I make thine enemies thy footstool." Note, that in an-

other
place the same David doth flatly say, that beside the
Lord there is other : and yet here again he doth as
none
plainly say,
"
The Lord said to my Lord ;" meaning the
Father, who had placed the Son, which was David's Lord,
at his rio-hthand in heaven.
Out of Esay be gathered very many
may testimonies;
but the notablest of all the rest is that which Matthew the
[-1protoplastorum, Lat. ;
parents.]
[5 Psalmis, Lat. ; Psalms, ed. 1577.]
apostle citeth in these words Behold, my Son whom I have

"
:
Matth'xu
chosen ; my beloved, in whom my soul is pleased : I will put

my Spirit upon him, "c."" With this agreeth that which
Luke citeth, saying : " The Spirit of the Lord cause
be-
Luke'w upon me,
he hath anointed me, to preach the gospel to the poor
hath he sent me, "c." In these testimonies here thou hast the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. A few out of many ;
for I do not covet ^
to turn over the whole scriptures of the
old Testament.
The mystery So thcu this faith,wlicrewith we do believe in God, the
nity must Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, we have received of
^"^ himself, being dehvered unto us by the prophets
and
disputotVon"!
patriarchs, but most evidently of all declared by the Son of
God himself, our Lord Jesus Christ, and his holy apostles :
whereupon now we do easily gather, wherefore it is that all
the sincere bishops or ministers of the churches, together
with the whole church of Christ, have ever since the apostles'
time with so firm a consent maintained and had this faith in
honour. It were detestable impiety to leave this
verily a
catholic and true rule of faith, and to choose and follow one
newly invented. There are even at this day extant most
godly and learned books of^ ecclesiasticalwriters, wherein
they have declared and defended this catholic faith by the
holy scriptures against all wicked and blasphemous heretics.
There are extant sundry symbols of faith,but all tending to
one
end, set forth and published in many synodal assemblies
of bishops and fathers. There is at this day extant, learned
and rehearsed of the universal Church and all the members
thereof, both learned
unlearned, and of every sex and
and
age, that creed commonly called the Apostles' Creed ; wherein
we profess nothing else than that which we have hitherto
declared, namely, that we believe in one God, to wit, the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And for because this
consent of all the saints concerninor this true faith hath been
ever
since the beginning of the world so sure and firm, it
was very well and godly provided of ancient kings and
princes, that no man should once dare be so bold either to
call into doubt, or
with curious questions and disputations to
deface or make intricate,this belief concerning the unity and
[1 aflfectamus, Lat.]
[2multorum, Lat. ; of
many.]
HI.]
trinity of the almiglity God^. He of old among the Israel- Kxod. xix.
ites was stricken through and slain, which passed beyond the
bounds that the Lord had limited out : and we also have
certain appointed bounds about the knowledge of God, which
to pass is hurtful unto us ; yea, it is punished with assured
death.
God grant that we may truly know, and religiouslywor- '^^''.^^
ship, the high, excellent, and mighty God, even so, and such,
as himself* is. For hitherto I have, as simply, sincerely, and
briefly as I could, discoursed of the ways and means how to
know God, which is in substance one, and three in persons :
and yet we acknowledge and do freely confess, that in all

this treatise hitherto there is nothing spoken worthy of or
comparable to his unspeakable For the eternal,
majesty.
God is greater than all
excellent, and mighty majesty,and
than all the eloquence of all men ; so far am I from thinking
that I by my words^ do in one jot come near unto his ex-
cellency.
But I do humbly beseech the most merciful Lord,
that he will vouchsafe of his inestimable goodness and libe-
rality
enlighten in us all the understanding of our

to minds
with sufficientknowledge of his name, through Jesus Christ
our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
THAT GOD IS THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS, AND

GOVERNETH ALL THINGS BY HIS PROVIDENCE :
WHERE MENTION IS ALSO MADE OF THE

GOODWILL OF GOD TO USWARD, AND
OF PREDESTINATION.
THE FOURTH SERMON.
Dearly beloved, it remaineth now for me in this day's

sermon, for
conclusion to that which I have
a hitherto spoken
concerning God, briefly to add somewhat of that creation or

work of God, whereby he, being the maker of all things,
hath to mankind's commodity wholesomely created all things,
both visible and invisible, and doth now as always most
[3 See Vol. I. p. 34.] [4he himself, ed. 1577.]

[5 mea infantia, Lat.]
wisely govern and order the same. For by so doing weshall

obtain no small knowledge of God ; and many things shall be
more openly laid forth unto us, which we last treatise in our
did but touch and away ^ In the searching out, considering,
and setting forth of the creation of the whole and the parts
thereof, all the dihgence of all wise men^ hath been set on
work, doth labour, and shall be troubled so long as this world

endureth. For what is he, though he were the wisest, the cun-
ningcst, and diligentest writer of the natural history, that
leaveth not many things untouched for the posterity to labour
in, and beat their brains about ? Or what is he at this day,
which, although he use the aid and industry of most learned

writers, is not compelled to wonder at more and greater
things than either they ever did, or he ever shall, attain
unto you^ ? The most wise Lord will always have witty men,
that enriched with heavenly gifts,to be always occupied
are
and evermore exercised in the searching out and setting forth

the secrets of nature and of the creation. But we do simply
by faith conceive, that the worlds were made of nothing, and
of no heap of matter*, of God through the Word of God ; and
that it doth consist by the power of the Holy Ghost, or
Psai.xxxiii Spirit of God. For so did kinor David, and Paul the teacher
Heb. XI. *
-I .
of the Gentiles, both believe and teach. But although the
order of the whole, and the manner of the creation, cannot

be knit up or declared in few words, yet will I do my en-deavour
to utter somewhat, by which the sum of things may
partly appear to the diligentconsiderer.
And here I choose rather to use another man's words than
mine own ; especially because I suppose this matter cannot be
more lively expressed than Tertullian,in his book De Trinitate,
The history settctliit forth as folioweth :
"
God hath hung up heaven in
ation eon- a ioftv height ; he hath made the earth massive with a low
tained in few "
^ ^ ^ ^
iTi
words.
and pressed down weight ; he hath poured out the seas with a
loose and thin liquor ; and hath planted all these, being decked
Tiieskyand and full with their proper and fit instruments. For in the
firmament of heaven he hath stirred up the dawning risings
[1parcius delibavimus, Lat.]

[2 externorum domesticorumque sapicntum, Lat. ; of wise men
both without and within the church.]

[3 So in all the editions; assequatur, Lat.]
materia, Lat.]
\} prfcjacente
OF god's providence. 175
IV.]
of the sun ; he hath filledthe circle of the glitteringmoon for

the comfort of the night with monthly increasings of the world ;
and he lighteneth the beams of the stars with sundry gleams

of the twinkling light" (thenight, he meaneth); and he would
"
that all these should by appointed courses go about the compass

of the world, to make to mankind days, months, years, signs,
times, and commodities. In the earth also he hath lift up The earth,
high hills aloft, depressed down the valleys below, laid the
fields out evenly, and profitably ordained flocks of beasts for
sundry services and uses of men. He

hath made the massive
oaks of the woods for the behoof

of man ; he hath brought
forth fruits to feed them^ withal; he hath unlocked the mouths
of springs, and poured them into running rivers. After all

which necessary commodities, because he would also procure
somewhat for the delight of the eyes, he clad them all with
sundry colours of goodly flowers, to the pleasure and delight

of those that beheld him^. In the also, although for the
sea The sea.
greatness and profit thereof it were very wonderful, he framed

many sorts of living creatures ; some of a mean, and some
of a monstrous bigness; which do by the variety of the
workmanship give special notes of the workman's wit. And

yet not being therewithal content, lest peradventure the rage
and course of the waters should with the damage of the
earth's inhabitants break out and occupy another element,
he closed up the water's limits within the shores ; that thereby,
when the raging waves and foaming water did rise up from
the depth and channel, it might turn into itself again, and
not pass beyond the bounds appointed, keeping stillthe pre-
scribed
course ; to the end also that man might be so much
the more ready to keep God's laws, when he perceived that
even the very
elements did observe and keep them. Last of Man.
all he setteth man to be lord over the world ; whom he made

to the likeness and image of God : to whom he gave reason,
wit, and wisdom, that he might imitate God ; whose body,

although it were made of earth, was yet notwithstanding in-
spired
with the substance of the heavenly breath and Spirit

of God : to whom when he had put all things in subjection,
he would have him alone to be free And
without subjection.
lest that liberty, being let loose at into
random, might come
[5 So ed. 1584 also: but ed. 1577 has, fruit to feed him.]
[6 them, ed. 1577.]
17G THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERSr.
perilagain, he gave a commandment ; by the means of which

commandment it could not be said that evil was out of hand
or by and by present in the fruit,but should then be in it,
when once he perceived in the will of man the contempt of

that commandment, For both he ought to be free, lest the
image of God
should seem to be bound undecently ; and also
a law was to be given, lest at any time the unbridled liberty
should break out to the contempt of him that gave the liberty:
that he might consequently receive either due rewards of
obedience, or merits of punishment for disobedience, having
that given him to whether part he was willing by the motion
of the mind for to incline; whereby the envy of mortality doth
return to him who, when by obedience he might have escaped
it, did yet run headlong into it, while he made too much
haste to become a God," "c. The same addeth : In the "
parts above the firmament which are not now to be beheld
of our mortal eyes, that first there were

ordained angels ;
then there were ordained spiritual virtues ; then there were
placed thrones
and powers, and many other unmeasurable
spaces of the heavens ; and that many works of holy things
were there created S" "c. Thus far Tertullian.
[1 Regula exigit veritatis, ut prime omnium credamus in Deum

Patrem ot Dominum omnipotentem, id est, rcrum omnium per-
fectissimum conditorem, qui coelum alta sublimitate suspenderit,
terram dejecta mole solidaverit, maria soluto liquore difFuderit, et
ha3c omnia proi^riis et condignis instrumentis ct ornata et plena diges-
serit. Nam et in solidamento (firmamento) coeli lucifei'os solis ortus
excitavit, lunse candentem

globum ad solatium noctis mensuris (Bul-
linger read, menstruis) incrementis orbis implevit, astrorum etiam
radios variis fulgoribus micantis lucis (noctem) accendit: et hsec
omnia legitimis meatibus circumire totum mundi ambitum voluit,

humano generi dies, menses, annos, signa, tempora, utilitatesque fac-
tura. In terris quoque altissimos montes in verticem sustulit, valles
in ima dejecit,
campos requaliter stravit, animalium greges ad varias
hominum servitutes utiliter instituit. Sylvarum quoque robora humanis
usibus profutura solidavit, fruges in cibum elicuit, fontium ora resera-
vit et lapsuris fluminibus infudit. Post qua) ne non etiam ipsis quoque
deliciis pvocurasset oculorum, variis florum coloribus ad voluptatera
spectantium cuncta vestivit. In ipso quoque mari, quamvis esset et
et utilitate mirabilo, multimoda animalia, nimc mediocris

magnitudine
nunc vasti corporis, finxit, ingcnium artificis de institutionis varietate
testantia. Quibus non contentus, ne forte fremitus et cursus aquarum
cum dispendio possessoris humani alienum occuparet elementum, fines
OF god's PIIOYIDENX'E. 177
IV,]
Now of all this is : God
the sura did by his power create
of nothing heaven, earth, and the sea ; which he did im-
mediatclj adorn and enrich with all kinds of good things.

And into this world, which taketh the name of furniture that
is in it,as in a most sumptuous palace well furnished with all
sort of excellent necessaries,it pleased him to bring man, to
whom he did put all things in : as David doth with D.ivuiccie-

subjection
wondermg and marvelimg set it lortli, where he saith ; "O creation of
"
the world.
-r 1 1 11-1 11 1
Lord, governor, how
our excellent is thy name in all the
world ! For thy glory is lift up above the heavens. Out of

the mouths of very babes and sucklings hast thou ordained
strength, because of thine enemies ; that thou mayest destroy
the enemy and the avenger. For I will consider the heavens,
even the works of thy fingers ; the moon and the stars, which
thou hast ordained. What is man, that thou art so mindful
of him ; or the son of man, that thou hast care over him ?
Thou madest him somewhat lower than the angels (or, than
God);thou him with glory and honour, thou madest
crownest
him to have dominion over the works of thy hands. Thou
hast put all things in under his feet; sheep and
subjection
oxen, and the beasts of the field,the fowls of the air,and the
litoribus inclusit; quo cum fremens fluctus et
alto sinu spumans ex
unda venisset, rursum in

rediret, neeseterminos concessos excederet,
servans juraprsescripta : ut divinas leges tanto raagis homo custodiret,
quanto illas etiam elementa servassent. Post qure liominem quoquo
mundo prceposuit, et quidem ad imaginem Dei factum : cui mentem et

rationem indidit et prudentiam, ut Deum posset imitari:
cujusetsi
corporis terrena primordia, ccelestis tamen et divini laalitus inspirata
substantia. Quse cum omnia in servitutem
illidedisset, solum liberura
esse voluit. Et
in ne
periculum cederet rursum soluta libertas,man-
datum posuit, quo tamen non inesse malum in fructu arboris diceretur,
sed futurum si forte in voluntate hominis de contemptu data? legis
prsemoneretur. Nam et liber esse debuerat, ne incongruenter Dei

imago serv'iret; et lex addenda, ne usque ad contemptum dantis liber-
tas
effrajnata prorumperet : ut et prfemia condigna et merita pcenarum
consequenter exciperet, suum jam habens illud, quod motu mentis in
alterutram partem agitare voluisset : ex quo mortalitas, invidia utique

in ipsum redit, qui cum illam de obedientia posset evadere, in eandem
incurrit, dura ex consilio perverso deus esse festinat Quanquam . . .
etiam supei'ioribus,id est, super ipsum quoque solidamentum, partibus,

quse non sunt hodie nostris contemplabiles oculis, angelos prius insti-
tueritj spiritales virtutes digesserit,tbronos potestatesque praefecerit,
et alia multa ccelorum immensa spatia et sacramentorum infinita opera
condiderit. " Novatian. deTrin. cap. 1. Tertul. 0pp. Par. 1664. p. 707.]
12
[bullinger,
hi.]
fishesof the walk through the paths of the sea.

sea, which
in all the
O Lord, our governor, how excellent is thy name
world!" Psalm viii. The same again in another place doth
rsai. ixxxix. say :
"
The heavens are thine, 0 God, and the earth is thine;
thou hast laid the foundation of the round world, and all
rPsal. Ixxiv. that therein is."
"
The day is thine, and the night is thine ;
10, 17.]
thou hast ordained the light^ and the sun: thou layedst all the
borders of the earth ; thou hast made both summer and winter."
Now who is so very a sot as that he doth not by these
proofs easily gather, how great our God is; how great the
power of God is ; how good, rich, and liberal to man, who

never deserved any such thing at his hand, our God is,
which hath created so great riches, so exquisite

delights,and
such furniture sufficientlypraised, for man

as cannot be
alone, and hath made them all subject, and will have them all
to obey man as their lord and master ?
God go
But here by the way, in the creation of the world, we
vemeth all
things. have consider the preservation and government
to of the
whole by the same God. For neither doth the world stand
and endure by any power of its own ; neither do those things

move and stirof their own accord, or (aswe say)at all adven-
tures,
stirred or moved howsoever.
which are For the Lord
John V. in the gospel saith : My Father worketh hitherto, and I
"
IlL-b.i.
work." And Paul saith : " God by his Son hath made the
his
worlds, and doth rule and uphold them with the Avord of
power." And again: "By God we live,and move, and have our
beinjr." And ag-ain: "
God leftnot himself without witness, in
that he shewed his benefits from heaven, giving us rain and
fruitfulseasons, fillingour hearts with food and gladness." And
Of God's Theodoret, De Providentia, saith :
"
It is a most absurd
providence.
thing to say, that God hath created all things, but that he
hath no care of the things which he hath made ; and that his
creature, as a boat destitute of a steersman, is with contrary
winds tossed to and fro, and knocked and cracked upon shelves
and rocks^." Therefore in this place we have to say some-
\}liglits,ed. 1577; luminaria, Lat.]

[2 TaJv yap ayav droTTcorartui'
TrenoiTjKfvai fnv avrov ra av/jLTravTa Xeyetv,
afieXelv Se a"u inoLJjae,kol irepiopav rrjv kt'ktlv, olov tl dveppd-

. , .
crKiicjios
re KOL vtto to)V
TKTTOv
aKvfSepvrjTov evavricovavepcov r^Se KOKelae TreprrujjLevov,
Koi (TKOTreXois Koi f:ipdxecn Tvpoa-prjyvvpfuov. Theodorct. Ilcci'Ct.Fab.
"
Lib. V. cap. 10. p. 275. Tom. iv. Lut. Par. 1642.]

OF god's providence. 170
IV.]
what of God's providence and government : which all the

wicked, together with the epicures, do at this day^ deny,
saying in their hearts ; Is it likely,that he that dwellcth in
"
heaven should regard the things on earth? And doth the

Almighty observe and mark the very smallest of words* and
works ? He hath given to all creatures a certain inclination
and nature, which he hath made their own ; and so leaveth
them now in the hand of their own counsel, that they of their
own nature may move, increase, perish, and do even what
they lust- Tush, God neither knoweth, nor doth greatly
trouble himself about these toys." Thus do the wicked reason
in many
very wickedly : but the scripture doth expressly
places pronounce and prove^ that God by his providence doth
care for and regard the state of mortal men and of all the
things that he hath made for the use of mortal men. And
therefore here it is profitableand necessary to cite some monies
testi-
out of the holy scriptures for the proof of this argument.
in his Psalms shall reign for
The Lord
"
David saith : Psai. cxiv.
ever, and his kingdom is a kingdom

of all ages, and his
dominion from generation to generation." Lo, the kingdom
of God (saithhe)is a kingdom of all ages, and his dominion
throughout all generations. Therefore God hath not only
created the world and all things that are in the world ; but
doth also govern and preserve them at this day, and shall
govern and preserve them even tillthe end. For the same
kingly prophet, celebrating the providence of God about man
and his estate, doth say :

"
Thou, 0 Lord, knowest my down- Psai. cxxx
sittingand mine uprising ; thou spiest out all my ways. For

there is not a word in my tongue, but thou, O Lord, dost
know it altogether. Thou hast fashioned me behind and
before, and laid thine hand upon me ;" and so forth, as fol-
loweth in the hundred and thirty-ninth psalm, which psalm
doth wholly make to this purpose. With this doctrine of
David doth the testimony of Salomon agree, where he saith :
"
Theking's heart is in the hand of the Lord ; like as the Prov. xxi.
rivers of water, he may turn it whithersoever he will. Every

man's way seemeth right in his own eyes ; but the Lord
driveth^ or ruleth, the heart." And in the gospel the Lord
[' etiam hodie, Lat.]

[4 our words, ed. 1577 ; dicta et facta nostra, Lat.]
[6 imo demonstrat, Lat.] [simpellit, Lat.]
12"2
180 THE FOURTH UECAUK. [sERM.
Matth. X,
said :
"
littlesparrows sold for a farthing ? And
Are not two
one of them shall not light on the ground without your
Father. Yea, even all the hairs of your head arc numbered."
There are besides these other evident testimonies also of the
providence of God. Daniel, the wisest man of all the east, and
Dan.ii. the most excellent prophet of God, doth say :
"
AYisdom and
strength are the Lord's : it is he that changeth the times and

seasons': he taketh away kings, and setteth up kings: he
giveth wisdom the wise, and understanding to those that

unto
he
understand : he revealeth the deep and secret things :
knoweth the thing that liethin darkness; for the light dwelleth
Psai. ixxxix. in him." Moreover, Ethan the Ezrachite saith : Thou, "
Lord, rulest the raging of the sea ; thou stillestthe waves

thereof, when they arise. Thou hast an almighty arm ; thou
hand. In
strengthenest thy hand, and settest up thy right
justice
and equity is thy royal throne stablished;goodness and
Psai. civ. faith do go before thy face." And David saith : " Of the
fruit of thy works, 0 God, shall the earth be filled. And he
bringeth forth grass for cattle,and herb for the use of man;
and bread to strengthen the heart of man, and wine -to make
him merry." And immediately after in the same psalm :
"
All things do wait upon thee, that thou mayest give them
their meat in due season. When thou givest it, they gather
it ; and when thou openest thine hand, they are filledwith
good. If thou hidest thy face, they are troubled ; and if thou
takest away their breath, they die, and are turned into their
Psai. cxiv. dust." Again : The Lord upholdeth all such as fall, and
"
liftethup
all those that be down. The Lord looseth men
from their fetters: the Lord giveth sight unto the blind. The
[Psai.cxivi.]Lord keepeth the stranger ; he defendeth the fatherless and
widow ; and the way of the wicked he turnetli upside down."

Ps3i. cxivii.
"
Great is our Lord, and great is his power ; and of his wisdom
there is none end. He telleth the number of the stars, and
calleth them all by their names. He covereth the heavens
with clouds, and prepareth rain for the earth. He giveth

fodder unto the cattle,and meat to the young ravens that call
as wool, and scattereth the hoar
2.
upon him He giveth snow
frost like ashes. He casteth forth his ice like morsels : who shall
abide before the face of his cold ? He shall send out his word,
and melt them ; he shall blow with his wind, and the waters
[1 et quse fiunt in tempore, Lat.] p upon him, not in Lat.]
IV.] OF god's providence. 181
shall flow."''And again : I know that the Lord is great; and

"
Psai.cxxxv.
that he is above all gods. What pleased him, that hath he

done in heaven and earth, and in the sea, and in
all deep
places. He liftethup the clouds from the ends of the world,
and turneth hghtning unto rain, and bringeth the winds out
of their treasuries^." There are many testimonies like to
these to be seen in the thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth chapters of
the book of Job; and rifely^ in the Psalms, and books of the
holy prophets : but these that hitherto I have
recited are
sufficientenough, testifying abundantly that God by his providence
doth govern this world and all things that are
therein, and especiallyman himself the possessor of the world,
for whom all thinffs were made.
We do here
attribute nothing to destiny, either stoicalor
ofnlmsm
astrological; neither have we anything to do with that eth-
niok fortune, either good or ill. We do utterly detest philoso-
phical
disputations in this contrary to the
case, which are
truth of the prophets' writings and doctrine of the apostles.

We content ourselves in the only word of God ; and do fore
there-
simply believe and teach, that God by his providence doth
govern all things, and that too according to his own good will,
justjudgment,and comely order, by means most justand
equal : which means whosoever despiseth, and raaketh his
boast only on^ the bare name of God's providence, it cannot
be that he should rightly understand the effect of God's pro-
vidence.
They make this : Because all things in "
objection
the world are done by God's providence, therefore we need
not to put in our oar^ : we may snort idly and take our ease:
it is sufficientfor us to expect the working or impelling of

God ; for if he need aid, he will,whether we will or no,
our
even impel us to the work which he will have to be wrought

by us." But the saints in the scripture are laid before usThes-imts
and shewed to have thought,

O spoken,
r
judged more
and '^,' sin- "egiect
'
means.
good
"
.
cerely of God's providence. The angel doth in express words

say to Lot : Haste thee to Zoar, and save
"
thyself there : oen. xix.
for I can do nothing until thou art come thither." Lo, here
by God's providence Lot with his are saved ; the citizensof
[3 his treasuries, Autb. Ver.]
["*rifely ; passim, Lat.]
p So also ed. 1584 : but ed. 1577 has
of.']
[6 nostram industriam, Lat.]
Sodom are destroyed, and of all the citiesthereabout : and

yet in the very work of his preservation Lot's labour is
even
required, and he bidden to do his good-will to save himself.

Yea, "
I cannot," saith the Lord,
"
do anything tillthou art
come into Zoar." The king and prophet David doth plainly
say,
"
I have hoped in thee, O Lord; I have said, Thou art
my God : my days are in thy hand." And yet even he,
Tv^hich did wholly betake himself to the providence of God,

did earnestly consider with himself, how with his diligence
and industry he might deceive and escape from the layings in

wait of Saul his father-in-law. Neither doth he despise the
*
aid and shiftsof his wife Michel : he doth not reply to her
again and say, "All things are done by the providence of God;
therefore there needs no wiles to be wrought. The Almighty
is able to take me out of the hands of our father's soldiers,or
otherwise to save me by some miraculous means : let us con-

tent
ourselves, and suffer God to work his will in us." He did
not argue thus ; but did understand that, as God's providence
doth proceed in a certain order by middle means, so that it is
his part to apply himself to means in the fear of God, and by

all assays to do his best for his own defence 2. St Paul doth
hear the Lord flatlysaying : As thou hast borne witness of
"
me at Hierusalem, so must thou bear record of me at Rome."

And although he did nothing doubt of the truth of God's
promises, and was not ignorant of the power
of God's provi-
dence
; yet notwithstanding he did privily send his sister'sson,
which told him that the Jews had conspired to killhim, unto
the tribune, to desire of him that Paul might not be brought
forth at the Jews' request. Neither did he shew himself un-
courteous or
unthankful to the soldiers that carried him to
Antipatridis, nor horsemen
to the that went with him^ to
Cffisarea. Again, as he sailed in the Adriatic sea, when he
was in peril of dangerous shipwreck, and that all his company
stricken with fear, he said : Sirs, I exhort you to be of

"
Acts xxvii. were
good cheer ; for there shall be no loss of any man's lifeamong

you, buf* of the ship. For there stood by me this night the
[^ dilecto) conjugis,
Lat.]
[2 omnemque movcrc lapiJcm, Lat. Erasmi Adag. Cliiliad.p. 228,
(unperientia;.]
[3 indc, Lat. omitted; thence.]
[* scd tantum, Lat. ; but
only.]
OF god"'s providence. 183
IV.]
angel of God, whose I am and wliom I servo, saying, Fear

not, Paul: thou must be brought before CjEsar ; and lo, God
hath eivcn thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore,
for I believe God, that it shall be
sirs, be of good cheer ;
even as it was told mo." But a while after,when the mariners
went about to leave the ship, the same Paul said to the centu-
rion
Unless "
these abide in the
and to the soldiers: ship, ye
cannot be saved."
Therefore means do belong the providence of God,
to
by which he
worketh; and therefore are they not to be
neglected. Truly, it is by God's government or providence,
that we have all these impressions* of what sort soever, "Meteors, im-
For by the power of God,

either fiery, or airy, or watery.
"^ "^
aiip'caranccs
some
/.!" Kill
"
1 which
doth the air
and not by"/ any "/ power of their own^ make times for
1 ttieir rareness
^ flow
the earth fruitful,the water and ebb again, and the earth ^^J^^^^^f
doth bring forth her increase. And although the saints think ;ên^4"
verily, that of all this is done for any sake of theirs'^,
none
because the Saviour himself in the gospel saith, The Father Matth.
"
v.
sendeth rain upon the justand unjust ;" yet for all that they
do never forget the words of the prophet, where he saith,
"
If ye will be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of isai. \.
the land : but if ye be obstinate and rebeUious, ye shall be
devoured with the sword : for the mouth of the Lord hath
Moses, long before Esay,
spoken it." For the great prophet
had said : " If thou shalt hearken diligentlyunto the voice of Deut. xxviii.
the Lord thy God, to observe and do all his commandments,
all these blessings shall come upon thee. Thou shalt be
blessed in the city, and blessed in the field. Blessed shall the
fruitof thy body be, and blessed shall the fruit of the ground^
be. Lord shall open heaven unto thee, and give rain to
The
thy land in due season. But if thou wilt not hearken unto
the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and do his com-
mandments,
all these curses
then shall come upon thee.
Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed in the field. The
heaven above thy head shall be brass; and the Lord shall
plagues," "c. And histories bear
smite thee with many
happened to the people of God
record, that all these things
[6 neque temere, Lat. omitted ; nor of cliance.]

[6 So also 1584: but ed. 1577, waters, and Lat. aquoe.]
[7 propter sua merita, Lat. ; for any merits' sake of theirs, ed. 1577.]
[8 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, thy ground.]
even as they here foretold; and that too, not without the
are
providence of the Lord their God. All good successes and

prosperity are the good blessings of God; and on the other
side, all calamities and adversities are the curses of God.
Therefore hereupon the saints do gather, that men's affairs
and state are wholly governed by God's providence, so yet
that they must not therefore sit (aswe say)with their hands
in their bosoms idly, and neglect good means ; but rather
watchfully and dihgently walk by the grace of God in the

ways and means, or precepts and ordinances, of the Lord.
For the providence of God doth not disturb the order of
things ; it doth not abrogate the officesof life,nor labour and
industry; it doth not take [away] a just dispensation ^ and obe-
dience:
but by these things it worketh the health of those
men which do through the help of God religiously apply
themselves the decrees, purpose, or working of the Lord ;
to
to whom they do rightly ascribe what good soever doth
chance or betide them ; imputing to man's corruption, to our

doth
own unskilfulness, and to our sins, what evil soever
happen unto us. Therefore the saints acknowledge, that
do by
although wars, plagues, and divers other calamities
God's providence afflictmortal men, yet notwithstanding that
the causes thereof do arise of nothing else than the sins
of man. For God is good, which wisheth us rather well than
evil: yea, of his goodness turneth our

oftentimes he evil
as is to be seen by the history of
purposes unto good ends ;
Joseph in the book of Genesis.
God's good- Truly, upon the earnest consideration of God's providence
willislearned t/'r "
_
^ n ^ ^ i
by his pro-
all the godly do gather, that their ogood
sort God wisheth
'
o o
vidence. "/
2
all well unto man. For he hath a great care over us, not
in great things only, but also in the smallest. He knoweth
the number of the days of our life. In his sight are all
our members, as well within as without. For the Lord in
the gospel saith, that
"
all the hairs of our head are num-
bered."
He by his providence defendeth us from all manner
diseases and imminent perils. He feedeth, refresheth, and
for man's health
preserveth us : for as he made all creatures
behoof, so doth he preserve and apply them to man's
and
good and commodity.
[1 oeconomiani, Lat.]
[2 So also ed. 1584: Lut ed. 1577, wisheth
well.]
OF god's predestination. 185
IV.]
Thedoctrine of the foreknowledge and predestination of ofnod-spre-
God, which hath a certain hkcness^ with his providence, doth or'fo'rca'p"'
'""
no less comfort the godly worshippers of God. They call
foreknowledge that knowledge in God, whereby he knoweth
all things before they come to

pass, and seeth even present
all things that are, have been, and shall be. For to the
knowledge of God all things are present ; nothing is past,
nothing is to come. And the predestination of God is the
eternal decree of God, whereby he hath ordained either to
save or destroy men ; a most certain end of life and death
being appointed unto them. Whereupon also it is elsewhere
called a fore-appointmenf. Touching these points some have
diversely disputed ; and many verily, curiously and conten-
tiously^ enough ; and in such sort surely, that not only the
salvation of souls, but the glory of God also, with the simple
sort is endangered. The religious searchers or interpreters
of the scriptures confess, that here nothing is to be permitted

to man's wit ; but that we must simply and wholly hang upon
whatsoever the scripture hath pronounced^. And therefore
these words of St Paul are continually before their eyes
and in their minds :
"
0 the depth of the riches of the wisdom Rom. xi.
and knowledge of God ! how unsearchable (orincomprehen-

sible)
are his his ways
judgments,
and past finding out !
For who hath known the mind of the Lord ? or who was
his counsellor ? or who hath given unto him first,and he
shall be recompensed ?" They never forget the admonition

of the most wise man, Jesus Syrach, saying: "Seek not out eccius. iii.
the things that are too hard for thee ; neither search after
things which are too mighty for thee : but what God hath
commanded thee, think thouthereupon, and be not
always
too curious in many of his works ; for it is not needful for
thee to see with thine eyes the things that be secret." In
the mean time truly, they do not contemn neither yet neg-
lect
those things which it hath pleased God by the open scrip-
tures
to reveal to his servants touching this matter.
Of God's foreknowledge there are many testimonies,
especially in the prophecy of Esay, chap. xli. and in the
[3 cognationem, Lat.] [^prtefinitio,Lat.] [^ spinosa, Lat.]

[c agnoscunt modura, ut in rebus omnibus, ita in bis imprimis, ser-
vandum ; Lat. omitted ; they acknowledge that, as in all things, so in
these matters especially, moderation is to be kept.]
chapters following; whereby also the Lord doth declare that

he is the true God. Furthermore, God by his eternal and
unchangeable counsel hath forc-appolnted who are^ to be
saved, and who are to be condemned. Jôw the end or the

decree of life and death is short and manifest to all the
godly. The end of predestination, or fore-appointment, is

Christ, the Son of God the Father. For God hath ordained
and decreed to save all, how many soever have communion

and fellowship with Christ, his only-begotten Son ; and to
destroy or condemn all, how
many soever have no part in
the communion or fellowship of Christ, his only Son. Now
the faithful verily have fellowship with Christ, and the un- faithfu
are strangers from Christ. For Paul in his Epistle
Ephes. i. to the Ephcsians
saith :
"
God hath chosen us in Christ,
before the foundations of the world were laid,that we should
be holy and without blame before him through love : who
hath predestinate us into his sons^ through Jesus Christ into
himself, according to the good pleasure of his will; that the
glory of his grace may be praised, wherewith he is pleased
with us^ in his beloved." chosen us ; and he

Lo, God hath
hath chosen us before the foundations of the world were
laid ; yea, he hath chosen us, that we should be without
blame, that is, to be heirs of eternal life: howbeit, in Christ,
by and through* Christ hath he chosen us. And yet again
plainer : he hath predestinate us," saith he,
" "
more to adopt
us into his sons," but by Christ ; and that too hath he done
freely,to the intent that to his divine grace glory might be
given. Therefore whosoever are in Christ are chosen and
1 John V.
elected : for John the apostle saith :
"
Whoso hath the Son
hath life; whoso hath not the Son of God, hath not life."
With the doctrine of the apostles agreeth that also of the
John vi. gospel. For in the gospel the Lord saith :
"
This is the
will of him that sent me, the Father ; that every one which
seeth the Son, and bclieveth in him, should have everlasting
life: and I will raise him up in the last day." Lo, this is the
[1 debeant, Lat. ; who ought.]

[2 ut adoptaret in filios,Lat.]
[3 placatus est nobis, Lat. ex"p'To)o-ei/significat,gi'atificayit,
sibi
cares, grates, ac dilectos reddidit, adcequo et placatus est. Bulling.
Comment, in Eph. i. G. See Vel. }. p. 06, note 1.]
[4 per vel propter Christum, Lat. ; through or for the sake of
Chi-ist.]
IV.]
he, that In the Son by faith
willor eternal decree of God, saitli
we should be saved. Again, on the contrary part, touching
"
those that are predestinate to death, the Lord saith : He John iii.
that behevcth is condemned

not already, because he hath
not behoved in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the
world, and men

'
have loved darkness more than light." There- who is
, ,." elected and
fore, if thou ask me whether thou art elected to life,or pre- {'^^,f^;''
destinate to death ; that is, whether thou art of the number
of them that are to be damned, or that are to be saved;

I answer simply out of the scripture, both of the evangelists
and the apostles: If thou hast communion or fellowship with
Christ, thou art predestinate to life,and thou art of the
number of the elect and chosen : but if thou be a stranger
from Christ, howsoever otherwise thou seem to flourish in
death, and foreknowledged,
virtues, thou art predestinate to
as they say, to damnation. Higher and deeper I will not
creep into the seat of God's counsel. And here I rehearse
again the former testimonies of scripture: God hath pre-
"
destinate
us, to adopt us into his sons through Jesus Christ.
This is the will of God, that whoso believeth in the Son
should live; and whoso beHeveth not should die." Faith

therefore is a most assured sign that thou art elected ; and
whiles thou art called to the communion of Christ, and art
taught faith,the most loving God declareth towards thee his
election and good-will.
The simpler sort, verily,are greatly tempted and exceed- in
("^^"Ifati
ingly troubled with the question of election. For the devil ^^" '''"''"
goeth about to throw into their minds the hate of God, as
though he envied us our salvation, and had appointed and
ordained us to death. That he may the more easily per-
suade
this unto us, he laboureth tooth and nail wickedly to
enfeeble and overthrow our faith ; as though our salvation
were doubtful, which leaneth and is stayed upon the uncertain^
election of God. Against these fiery weapons the servants
of God do arm their hearts with cogitationsand^ comforts

of this sort fetched out of the scripture :
God's predestination is not stayed or stirred with any
[5 So ed. 1577, rightly; incertee Dei electioni,Lat.; but ed. 1584

and 1587,
certain.']
[6 adeoque, Lat. ; and so
with.]
worthiness orunworthiness of ours; but of the mere grace and

mercy of God the Father, it respecteth Christ alone. And
because our salvation doth stay only upon him, it cannot but
be most certain. For they are wrong, that think those that
are to be saved to lifearc predestinate of God for the merit's
sake, or good works, which God did foresee in them. For

[Ephes. i. notably saith the apostle Paul :
"
He hath chosen us in Christ
into himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,that
[Rom. ix. the glory of his grace might be praised." And again: "It
is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in
[2Tim. i. Qod that sliewcth mercy." Again: '*
God hath saved us,
and
called us with an holy calling,not according to
works, our
but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given
unto us through Christ Jesus before the world was, but isnow
made manifest by the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Freely therefore, of his mere mercy, not for our deserts, but
for Christ's sake, and not but in Christ, hath he chosen us,
and for Christ's sake doth embrace us, because he is our

Father and a lover of men. Of whom also speaketh the
Psai.eiii.
prophct David : The Lord is fullof compassion and mercy,
"
slow to anger, and of great kindness. And as a father hath

compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on
them that fear him : for he knoweth whereof we be made,
and remembereth that we are but dust." Moreover, in the

isai. xiix. prophet Esay we read :
"
Can a woman forget her child, and
not have compassion on the son of her womb ? Though she
should forget, yet will I not forget thee." Truly, in Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God exhibited unto us, God the
Father hath declared what great store he setteth by us.
Thereupon doth the apostle gather : spared not his
Who
"
Rom. viii.
Son, but gave him for us all, how can it be that he should
not also with him give us all things ?" What thing there-
fore
should we not reckon upon and promise ourselves from
so beneficiala Father ? Forthou canst not complain that
he will not give unto thee his Son, or that he is not thine,
who, as the apostle saith, was given for us all. Moreover,
"
Matth. xi. the Lord himself, crying out in the gospel, saith : Come
unto mo,all ye that labour and arc heavy laden, and I will
Markxvi. rcfrcsh you." And again to his disciples: "Go ye into all
the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He
that shall believe,and be baptized, shall be saved." Where-
IV.]
upon also Paul saith :

"
God our Saviour
will that all men i thh. ii.
shall be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth."

In old times long ago it was said to Abraham :
"
In thy ocn. xxii.
Seed shall all the tribes (or

nations) of the earth be blessed."
And Joel saith : And it shall be, that whosoever shall callJoî
" u.
upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." The which

Peter also hath repeated in the Acts, chapter ii.; and Paul
to the Romans,
chapter x. Esay also saith : " AYe have allisai. liii.
gone astray like sheep ; we have turned every one to his
own
way : and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquitiesof
us all." And therefore durst St Paul say :
"
As by the offence nom. v.
of one the fault came on all men to

condemnation ; even so
also by the justification

of one the benefit abounded^ towards
all men, of life."
to the justification Therefore the Lord
is read in the gospel to have received sinners and publicans
arms
"with outstretched and embracings, adding moreover
these words : I came "
to seek that which was lost. Neither wa"''- '".
Luke XIX.
came I to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." All

"which sayings do hitherto belong, that, being more narrowly
weighed, they might confirm and establish us of God's good-will
towards us, who in Christ hath chosen us to salvation : which
salvation,truly, cannot but be most certain,and by all means
undoubted ; especially for that the Lord himself in the gospel
Mysheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they Joim
"
saith : x.
follow me : and I
give unto them eternal life; and they shall
never perish,neither shall any pluck them out of my hand," "c.
I know
what here again doth sting and grieve^ the minds or the
of many. "The chosen sheep," sa-y the-y, "of Christ, do know Ihore't'ifa
predestinate
Christ's voice ; and, being endued with a stedfastfaith,stick ^ i"fe.
in Christ inseparably, since they have felt that drawing,
"whereof the Lord speaketh in the gospel : 'No man cometh John vi.
to me, unless my Father draw him:' as for me, as I feel no
such of drawing, so do I not with a full and perfect

manner
faithstick in the Son of God." First of all,verily, true faith

is required of the elect : for the elect are called ; and being
called,they receive their callingby faith,and frame themselves
like him that called them^ "He that believeth not is already
[1 propagatur bonum, Lat. ; and Bibl. Lat. Tigur. 1544, and Eras-
mus*
version.]
[2 angat, Lat. ; Bullinger's one word.]
[3 se accommodant vocanti, Lat.]
condemned." Whereupon also Paul saith: "God is the Saviour

of all men, specially of the faithful." Furthermore, unless vre
be drawn of the heavenly Father, we cannot behove. And we
must bevery careful, lest we, conceiving vain opinions of
that divine drawing, neglect the drawing itself. God verily
drew Paul violently,but he doth not draw all unto him by
the hair. There are also other ways of drawing, by which
God draweth man unto him ; but he doth not draw him like a
stock or a block. The apostle Paul saith: "Faith cometh by
hearing, and hearing by the word of God." God therefore
doth then draw thee, when he preacheth unto thee the gospel
by his servants; when he touchcth thy heart; when he stirreth
thee to prayer, whereby thou mayest call and cry for his
grace and assistance,his enlightening and di'awing. When thou
feelest these things in thy mind, I would not wish thee to look
for another drawing : despise not thou grace offered,but use it
whiles time present serveth, and pray for the increase of grace.
For to greater and perfecter things thou aspirest godlily
afterwards ; in the mean space, there is no cause why thou

shouldest despise the lesser. In the gospel after St Matthew
they receive large ^ riches, who, having received but a few
talents, occupied the same faithfully: but he that despised
the talent wherewith he was put in credit,and cloaked his
slothfulnesswith I wot not what care, is greatly accused ; yea,
he is spoiled of the money which was once given him, and is
thrown into everlasting torments, being bound with bonds of
Matth. xiii.
condemnation. For the Lord pronounceth generally: "Who-
soever
hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abun-
dance
; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken
away even that which he hath." He hath, who acknowledgeth,

magnifieth, and reverenceth^ the grace of God : to this^ heap
of graces more is added, so that it is made more abundant.
He hath not, which doth not acknowledge the gifts of God,
and imagineth other, I cannot tellof what kind ; in the mean

time he doth not put in ure the grace received, and which is
present. And these are wont to use excuses, that that draw-
ing
came not to them as yet ; and that it is a matter very
dangerous to use occupying, or to make merchandise, of the
[1 ampliores, Lat.; larger.]

[2 excolit, Lat.]
[3 So also ed. 1584 : but ed. 1577, to his heap.]
IV.]
gifts of God. But St Paul, judgingfar

otherwise, saith : "So2Cor. ^-j.
"we as workers together beseech you, that ye receive not the

grace of God in vain." And to Timothy: I put thee in re- 2Tim.
"
i,
mcmbranco, that thou stir up the giftof God which isin thee."
Not that without God we are able to do any thing of ourselves,
but that the Lord requireth our endeavour, which notwith-
standing
is not without his assistance and grace. For truly
saith the selfsame apostle : "Godworketh in us both to will pini. n.

and to do even of his good pleasure." Again: "Not that we scor.iii.
are
sufficientof ourselves, to think any thing of* ourselves:
but all our sufficiencyis of God."
Furthermore, I wish not any man to despair, if by J-^'th hath
and
^
by he leel and try not in his mmd
a most ripe and perfect "'fs-
faith. The gospel saith : "Of her own accord doth the earth Markiv.
bring forth fruit; firstthe blade, then the ear, and afterwards
fullcorn in the ear." For so likewise hath faith her increas-
ings ; and therefore did the very apostles of the Lord
pray :
"Lord, increase our faith." Furthermore, in Mark truly a [Mark ix. 22
crieth unto our Saviour : If thou canst do any-

"
woeful man thing,
Lord, have compassion upon us, and help us." But he
heard the Lord straightways saying unto him : "
If thou
canst beheve it,all thingspossible to him that believeth."
are
And ^
this silly soul cried out: "I believe,Lord; help mine
unbelief." Lo, this woeful wretch believed, feeling in his mind
faith given him of God, which
notwithstanding he perceived to
be so weak, that he stood in need of God's help and
aid. He
prayeth therefore, "
help mine unbehef," that is, my faith,
which, if it be compared with an absolute and perfect faith,
may seem but unbelief. But hear, I beseech you, what this
faith, how littlesoever it was, wrought and brought to pass ;
what an humble mind and hanging upon the only mercy of
God was able to do. For straightways he healed the
child of
the woeful father ; and, being restored unto health, and as it
were
raised up from the dead, giveth him again to his faith-
ful
father. If any therefore doth feel faith in his mind,
let him not despair, although he know that it is
weak enough,
God wot'^, and feeble : let him cast himself
wholly upon God's
let him presume very little,
mercy ; or
nothing at all,of his
[^ So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, as 0/.]
[5 experiatur, is Bullinger's one word.] [cmiser, Lat.]
["?This expression is the translator's.]
^
let him pray incessantlyfor the increase of faith.
own merits ;
In which purpose verily the^ wôrds of our Saviour, very
full of comfort, out of the gospel, may confirm and strengthen
Matth. vii. any man most wholesomely :
"
Ask, and it shall be given you :
seek, and ye shall find : knock, and it shall be opened unto

you. For whosoever asketh, receiveth : and whosoever seeketh,
findeth : and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. Is
there any among you, who, if his son ask him bread, will
man
give him a stone ? or, if he ask fish,

will give him a serpent ?
If you therefore,which are evil,can give good gifts unto your
children ; how much more shall your heavenly Father give

good things, even the Holy Ghost itself,if you shall ask of
him?" These and such like sayings, set forth unto us in the
holy gospel for our consolation, ought more to move and
establish our minds of the good, yea, the right good-will of
God towards us than the eggings of the devil, wherewith he
goeth about not only to overwhelm the hope of our election,

but to make us suspect and doubt of God, as though he had
his creature in hatred, whom he had rather have destroyed
than saved. But he is well enough known to the saints by
Gen. iii. liissubtilticsand trains ; for so he deceived our firstparents.
Let us keep it deeply printed in our breasts, that God hath
chosen us in Christ, and for Christ his sake predestinate us

to life; and that therefore he giveth and increaseth faith to
Christ-ward in them that ask it ; and that it is he that puts it
in our hearts^.
For all things that tend to our salvation come
from the grace of God; nothing isours but reproach and shame.
These things, brethren, thus far have I laid before you
concerning the marvellous and wonderful work of the creation

wrought by the eternal, true, and living God, without any
trouble (doubtless)or pains-taking.
"
For he spake the word,
and they were made. He commanded, and they were cre-

ated,"
A littlewe have
added touching the most wise and
excellent governing of all things by God's divine providence,
which is always justand most righteous : likewise of God's
good-will towards us; of predestination"*; and certain other
[} viribus, Lat. ; strength.]

[2 So also ed. 15S4 : but cd, 1577, these ; hsec verba, Lat.]
[3 eundemquo ut petamus inspirare, Lat.; and that it is even he
that puts it into our hearts to
ask.]
["*Cf. Orig. Lett. ed. Parker Soc. cliv,
clv.]
IV.]
points unto these belonging. All these things truly have we
rehearsed, to beautify the glory and knowledge of God our

creator ; to whom both the perpetual and universal course
of nature, Avell of things invisible as also visible,beareth

as
witness ; whom the angels worship, the stars wonder at, the
seas bless,the earth reverenceth, and all infernal things be-hold^
; the mind of every man
whom fecleth, albeit it doth
not^ express him ; at whose beck all things are moved,

the springs cast forth their streams, rivers decrease'^, the
waves arise aloft, all things bring forth their increase, the
winds are forced to blow, showers to fall, seas to rage, all
things in all places to deliver abroad their fruitfulness ; who
planted a peculiar garden of felicity

for our firstparents, gave
them a
commandment, and pronounced sentence against their
sin ; delivered righteous Noe from the dangers of the deluge ;
translated Enoch into the fellowship of his friendship ; did
choose Abraham to himself; defended Isaac; increased Jacob ;
appointed Moses the captain over his people; set free from the
yoke of bondage the groaning children of Israel ; wrote a

law ; brought the offspring of the fathers into the land of
promise ; instructed his prophets with his Spirit,and by all

these promised his only-begotten Son again ; and at the same
instant that he had promised to give him hath sent him ;
through whom also he would be acquainted and come in
knowledge with us ; and hath poured forth upon us all his
heavenly graces. And because of himself he is liberal and
bountiful, lest this whole world, being turned away from the
rivers of his grace, should wax dry, he would have apostles to

be sent by his Son as teachers throughout the whole world,
that the state of mankind might acknowledge their Maker ^ ;
and, if they followed him, might have instead of a God one
whom in their petitions and prayers they might call Father ;
whose only extended itself,

providence hath not and is now
extended, not only severally unto men, but alô unto very
towns and cities,the ends of which he foretold by the voices
of his prophets, yea, throughout the whole world ; whose
ends, plagues, decays, and punishments for their unbelief he

hath described. And lest any should think, that this in-
p suspiciunt, Lat. ; look up to.]

[6 So also ed. 1584 : but 1577, do
not.] ['^
labuntur, Lat.]
[8 institutorem, Lat.]
-1
13
r
[bullinger,III.J
fatigable providence of God extended not to everything,
though never so small, the Lord saith : Of two sparrows, "
the one of them falleth not to the ground without the will of
the Father ;" and,
"
the hairs of your
all num-
bered head are
"
; whose care also and providence suffered not the
^
garments of the Israelites to wax old, nor their simple shoes
on their feet to be worn and torn. And not without good
reason : for if this God
comprehendeth that which contain-
eth all things, and all things and the whole doth consist of
parts and particulars ; then shall his care reach consequently
even to every part and particular, whose providence hath
reached already to the very whole, whatsoever it is. To this

God be all glory.
OF ADORING OR WORSHIPPIxN"G, OF INVOCATING OR

CALLING UPON, AND OF SERVING THE ONLY,
LIVING, TRUE, AND EVERLASTING GOD :
ALSO OF TRUE AND FALSE

. RELIGION.
THE FIFTH SERMON.
Touching is in person, what in quality,

God, what he
and what in substance % I have told you already ; not as I

ought, but as I was able. I have likewise shadowed out how
good and ready his will is towards man, whom he hath or-
dained
to life everlasting in his only-begotten Son ; whom also
he hath made Lord of all things in this present world, all
things being brought in unto him.
subjection
Now, that man
should not be ignorant what he oweth to
so mighty a God, and to a Father so loving and liberal, I
will anon joina disputation andtouching this living,true,
everlasting God, of man to be adored, called upon, and wor-
shipped.
For man is neither created nor born to behold and
^
gaze upon the stars, as the philosopher doted ; but that he
should be the image and temple of God, in whom God might
dwell and reign ; and that he should therefore acknowledge
God, reverence, adore, call upon, and worship, and also^ be
[1vilissima, Lat.] [2 quantus sit,Lat.]

[3 Seneca, de otio Sapientis, cap. 32.]
so.J
OF ADORING THE ONLY TRUE GOD. 195
v.]
joinedunto God, and live with him eternally. And first of

God ;
all I will speak of adoring God ; next of caUing upon
and lastly, of serving God : whereupon we shall perceive
without any trouble at all which is the true religion,or which
is the false. The places truly expounded^ are very plentiful;
but in few words I will comprehend what the scripture doth
teach us concerning them; howbeit not every one particularly,
but the chiefest,and so much as seemeth sufficientfor our
salvation and sound knowledge.
To adore or worship,^
in the holy scriptures, doth signify,to adore and
. T, worship.what
", 1 1 1
for honour's sake to uncover the head, to bend the body, to 'tis.
incline or with the whole body to lie pros-
bow the knee, or trate
face at one's feet,
upon the ground, to fallflat on the
in hu-
after the fashion of suppliants or petitioners, token of mility,
itis referred chieflyto
submission and obedience^; and
the gesture or habit of the body. The Ilebricians use one
only word SchahaV, which all interpreters have expounded

by this word adorare, to adore, bend, bow, and lie along
The Grecians have expounded it
with the face downward.
by the word irpoaKweco, that is, I bow the knees, I uncover
or make bare the head, I humbly beseech or adore. And
7rpoaKvvr]cn^, adoration,
is so called either of kissing, or of
moving the hat ; for Kvueco signifieth,I kiss. And that a
kiss wassometimes a sign of worshipping, reverencing, or
adoring, it is to be gathered out of the thirty-firstof Job.
What, and is it not a fashion very much used even at this day,
for honour and sake to kiss the hand ?
reverence' Again,
a hat, a bonnet, or a cap ; so that, to adore,
Kvvrjsignifieth
is to make bare and uncover the head for reverence' sake.
The Latinistsalso, peradventure, had an eye to the habit of the
body ; for orare, to pray, signifiethboth as well to crave as
to speak a thing. He therefore doth adore, that, casting his

countenance upon a man, doth crave something suppliantly.
Likely it is that the Germansalso had a respect hereunto :
for they turn adorare, to adore, by this word anhatten ;
which might moreover have been turned Zu fussenfallen^.
[5 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577 propounded; propositi, Lat.]

[6 deditionisque, Lat.]
["?More correctly, the Hithpahel form of this verb, viz. ninr^tt^'H
signifies,to worship.']
[8 to fall at the feet.]
13"2
In the ninth of Matthew thou dost read: "Behold, a certain

But
ruler came to Jesus, and worshipped (or
adored)him."
Mark, history, "And behold," saith he,
Markv.
writing the same
"there came one of the princes of the synagogue, whose
name was Jairus; and when he saw him, he felldown at his
feet,and besought him instantly (ormuch;)" thus expounding
to us what to adore is,to wit, to fall down at one's feet, and
to submit and beseech like a suppliant. For so we read in
Gen. xxxiii. thc old Tcstamcut of Jacob Israel, our father: "And he, going
before them, bowed himself to the ground seven times, until
his brother Esau approached and drew near." Of David and
I Sam. XXV. Abigael thus we read in Samuel: "When Abigael saw David,
David
she hasted, and lighted off her ass, and fellbefore on
her face, and worshipped on the ground, and she fell at his
feet, saying: Let that iniquity be counted mine, my lord, "c."
Likewise of Nathan the prophet, it is read thus written:
1 Kings i. "And he was come in to the king he worshipped" (or
when
To
made "upon his face on the ground." For God,
adore
worship men,
or
obeisance)
communicating this honour, doth allow the same unto men,
either for their old age, their authority, or worthiness' sake :
for man is the lively image of God. And it pleaseth God

Psai. ixxxii. himself to
call men that excel other in authority, gods.
Whereupon the apostles of Christ, Peter and Paul, instructing
ipet. ii. the people of God, taught them, he verily, "Fear God,
Rom. xi.i. honour the king;" and this, "The magistrate is God's minis-
ter:
give therefore to all men, honour to whom honour be-
lonoreth; fear to whom fear is due." In the law the Lord
[Levit.xix. saith: "In the presence of a hoar head rise up;" and,
32.]
[Exod. XX. "Honour thy parents." In consideration of this commandment
12.]
of God the godly do reverence the aged, their parents, and
magistrates ; and please God also with faithfulobedience.
But to adore, worship, or honour images, what representa-
tion
likeness soever they bear, the Lord doth nowhere like
Exod. XX. or allow; for he saith in the law: "Thou shalt not bow down
Isai. xliv. nor worship them^" And by his prophet Isaie, "None
(saithhe) considereth within himself of this matter, and
saith : One piece of the wood I have burnt in the fire,I have
baked bread with the coals thereof, I have roasted flesh there-
withal,
and eaten it ; and should I now of the residue make
an abominable idol, and fall down and worship a rotten piece
[1 Vol. I. p. 231.]
v.] OF ADORING THE ONLY TRUE GOD. 197
of wood-?" In the prophet thou readest "with much in-

same dignation
pronounced : "Their land is full of vain gods (orisai. ii.
idols before the works of their hands have they bowed
;)
themselves and adored it; yea, even before the thing that their
own fingers have made. There kneeleth the man, there
falleththe man down (before
them^): therefore forgive them
not." Therefore ancient writer, Lactantius, inspired in
that ms second
book and
"1 ^ "
^ " "
T " "
1/^-11
With a prophetical spirit,disputing against the Gentiles, hath fjKhtecnih

thus leftit written: "The images themselves which are wor-
shipped
are representations or counterfeits of dead men. And
it is a perverse and an absurd thing, that the image of a man
should be worshipped of the image of God, to wit, man ; for
he Avorshippeth the thing that is worser and weaker. Besides
that, the very images of saints, which most vain men do serve,
are
void of all sense and feeling,because they be^ earth. And
where is he that understandeth not, that it is a wicked and
sinful act for an upright and straight creature to be bowed

down, and to adore and worship earth ; which to that end is
under our feet, that it should be trodden upon, and not adored
of us ; who therefore are made to go upright and look upward,
that should not lie grovelling downward,
we that we should
not cast this heavenly countenance to the earth, but thither
look and direct our eyes, whither the condition of their nature
hath guided them ? Whosoever therefore endeavoureth to ch. xix
maintain the mystery of man's creation,and to hold the reason

of his nature ; let him raise up himself from the ground, and
with raised mind bend his eyes unto heaven : let him not
a
seek a god under his feet,nor dig from under his footstepsthat
which he may adore or worship ; because whatsoever lieth
under or is to man,
subject the same must needs be inferiorunto
man. But let him seek aloft,let him seek in the highest place;
because nothing can be greater than man, but that which is
above man. But God is greater than man : he is therefore
above, not beneath ; neither is he rather to be sought in the

lowest, but in the highest region or room. Wherefore there
is no doubt, but that wheresoever an image is, there is no
religion. For if rehgion consist in divine things, and that

nothing is divine unless it be among heavenly things, then do
[2 truncum ligneum, Lat.]

[3 incui'vavit se homo, et humiliatus est vir, Lat. and Vulgate.]
[4 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, they are.]
198 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sEKM.
images lack religion; because in that which is made of earth

there can be no heavenly thing. "Which matter even by the
very name itselfmay appear and be manifest to a wise man :
for is counterfeit, that must

whatsoever needs be false;
neither can that which hath a representation or gloss of truth
at any time take unto it the name of truth. If then not
every representation or counterfeit be, not a thing in earnest,

but as sport, religion is not in images, but
it were a toy and a
there is less religion where they be. That which is true

therefore is to be preferred before all things that are false.
Earthly things must be trodden under foot, that we may get
or
obtain heavenly things ^" These words not unadvisedly
have we cited hitherto out of Lactantius. We return now to
our purpose.
Spiritual ado But bccauso tho outward gesture or habit of the body is
rat inn nr
or
O "/
ration
worshipping,
[1 Simulacra ipsa,qua3 coluntur, effigies(sunt)hominum mortuorum :
est autera perversum et incongruens, ut simulacrum hominis a simula-
cro Dei
colatur ; colit enim quod est deterius et imbecillius . . .
Ipsse
imagines sacrce, quibus inanissimi homines serviunt, omni sensu carent,
quoniam terra sint. Quis autem non intelligat, nefas esse rectum
animal curvari, ut adoret terram; quae idcirco pedibus nostris subjecta

est, ut calcanda nobis, non adoranda, sit; qui sumus ideo excitati . . .
ut non revolvamur deorsum, ne hunc coelestem vultum ad

projiciamus
terram, sed oculos eo dirigamus, quo illos naturae suse conditio direxit?
. . . Quicunque igitur sacramentum hominis tueri, rationemque naturas

sua) nititur obtinere, ipse se ab humo suscitet, et erecta mente oculos
suos tendat in coelum, non sub pedibus quadrat Deum; nee a
vestigiis
suis eruat quod adoret, (quia
quicquid homini
subjacet, infra hominem
sit est,)sed quserat in sublimi, quserat in summo

necesse ; quia nihil
homine fuerit hominem. Deus
potest majus esse, nisi quod supra
autem est homine
major: supra ergo, non infra est ; nee in ima potius
sed in summa religiono (BuUinger read, regione) qurerendus est.

Quare non est dubium, quin religio nulla sit, ubicunque simulacrum
est. Nam si religio ex divinis rebus est, divini autem nihil est nisi in
ccelestibus rebus, carent ergo religione simulacra; quia nihil potest esse
coelestis in ea re quae sit ex terra. Quod quidem de nomine ipso appa-
rere sapienti potest: quicquid enim simulatur, id falsum sit necesse
est; nee potest unquam veri nomen accipere, quod veritatem fuco et
imitatione mentitur. Si autem (non,BuUinger's text)omnis imitatio
non res potissimum seria, sed quasi ludus ac jocus est ; nonreligio in
simulacris, sed mimus (Bullingerread, minus) religionis est. Prse-
ferendum est igitur verum omnibus fidsis; calcanda terrena, ut coeles-
tia consequamur. " Lactant. de Orig. Error. Lib. n. capp. 17, 18. pp.
227"230. Lugd. Bat. 1G60.]
OF AUOKING THE ONLY TUUE GOD. 19'J
v.]
commonly according to the inward quality of the

framed
mind, and the outward habit of his body which adoreth sub-
mitteth, yieldeth, and maketh him that worshippeth
subject
to him which is worshipped ; therefore adoration is translated
likewise to the inner man : so that to adore is to reverence
and respect God, to bequeath ourselves wholly unto him, and

to cleave inseparably unto him, upon him only and alone
to hano' in all thino;s,and to have recourse unto him in all our
necessitieswhatsoever. Furthermore, the outward adoration

doth immediately, when it is needful and ability granted,
follow a
mind rightly endued with true faith and holy fear of
God. For adoration is two-fold, or of two sorts : one of the Adoration o
mind or spirit, which is inward, sound, sincere and true ; is of two
another of the body, which is outward, unsound, counterfeit,

and false,which may proceed from him in whom there is no
fruit of true faith
sparkle of religion. True adoration is the
and holy fear of God ; namely, a lowly or suppliant yielding
and humble consecrating, whereby we bequeath ourselves,
yield and submit ourselves, unto our God, whom as we stand
under-
to be our best and most merciful Father, so to be our
most high and almighty G od : upon him therefore alone
we do wholly depend, and to him only we have respect :
which also forthwith, so soon as occasion is ministered unto us,

we express and testify by outward adoration. All this we
shall the better understand by these testimonies of scripture

following. David saith : 0 come, let us sing unto the Lord; rsai.
" xlv.
let us heartily in God our

rejoice salvation. Let us come
before his presence with thanksgiving, and shew ourselves
joyfulin him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God,
and a great king above all gods : because in his hand are the
his. For
corners of the earth, and the height of the hillsare
the sea is his and he made it, and his hands fastened the dry
land. O come let us adore (or fall down, and
worship)and
kneel 2
before the Lord that hath made us : because he is
the Lord God ; and we are the people of his pasture, and
our
the sheep of his hands." Thou perceivest therefore that we

must adore or worship God, and that we must cleave unto
him, and sing praises to his name, because he is the most
mighty God, Creator of all things, yea, our Creator, our

Father, and our Shepherd. Likewise, in the gospel according
[2 ploremus, Lat.]
to Matthew, adoration doth follow faith, and doth as it were

For after that the
grow out of it,and by it is nourished.
disciples,being taught by miracles, believed that Jesus was
Christ, they came ilatthew)
adored (orworshipped)
(saith and
Matt. xiv. him, saying : Thou art truly the Son of God."
"
Again, thou
readest in John that the Lord asked the Wind man that was
excommunicate or cast out of the synagogue, whom he re-

johnix. stored to his sight, saying, "Dost thou believe in the Son of
God?" and that the blind man answered, "Who is he,
Lord, that I might believe in him ?" and that Jesus answered,
and said: "Thou hast both seen him, and he it is that
talketh with thee." Moreover upon this by and by followeth
in the history : But he said, I believe, Lord ; and he wor-
"
shipped
him." belongeth that which the Lord
Hitherto now
[John iv.] said to the Samaritan in the gospel : The true worshippers "
shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth." For the

Lord doth
allow spiritualand inward adoration or worship-
ping;
not that outward, counterfeit,or hypocritical worshipping,
but that which proceedeth from a mind regenerated by faith
through the Holy Ghost, and that tendeth sincerely towards
In the his- ono God. For we read in the history of the old Testament,
those princes worshipped in truth, which consecrated and
Kmgs/^^ that
made holy themselves unto one God with their whole heart,
and on him only depended : again, that they worshipped not

the Lord witii their whole heart, which, being destitute and
void of sincere faith, depended also upon creatures. Now a
reason of this adoration or worshipping the Lord adjoineth in

the gospel. Worship (saith he) ought in all points to agree
with him that is worshipped. But God that is worshipped is
spirit and truth, and is delighted with spiritualworship and

unfeigned faith. In spirit and truth therefore he must be
worshipped.
Truly to Whereforo the saints have a specialcare and regard that
worship God, the inward worship of the mind be sound, and that firstof all
they worship in heart, and truly, with a sincere faith and
a of God's majesty
reverence : and
whiles they are inwardly so
occupied, they do no less outwardly, falhng on their faces with
humility, and do worship in God's presence. For the outward
worship is a companion of the inward, and followeth it. Hypo-

crites
also worship God in body, suppliantly and lowly enough;

but because their minds go a wool-gathering, and neither with
V,]
faith nor reverence cleave unto the Lord, they hear this
spoken of the Lord by the prophet: "This people honoureth isai. xxix.
'
''
me
with their lips,but their heart is far from me : but in vain
do they worship me, teaching doctrines precepts of men."
And this verily is the counterfeit and false
worshipping. And
that worshipping also is false, nay, it is most wicked and
abominable, wherewith the creatures are worshipped, either
with God, or for God, or without God. And, to say sooth, they
do not worship God at all,
which neither fear God, neither
believe in God, yet depend or hang only upon God.
nor
All men truly confess that God must be worshipped, but That God
^
every one doth not surely acknowledge and confess that God to be
arone'î^
'^"'^'' "''^'' '
only and alone is to be worshipped. It remaineth therefore

to be declared, that God only and
alone is to be worshipped
of men. Adoration or worshipping is joined with true faith
and perfect or sincere reverence of God's ; which majesty
seeing they are due to God alone, it followeth that God alone
is to be worshipped : and therefore is this
saying so often cited
and beaten upon in the law and the prophets : Thou shalt
"
worship the Lord thy God, and a strange god thou shalt not
worship." Now a
strange god is whatsoever without and
beside the only, living, true, and everlasting God thou
choosest unto thyself to be worshipped 2. The only and alone
true, living,and everlasting God therefore is to be
worship-
ped.
In the history of the gospel we
read, that the devil
^^^^^- 'v-
tempted our Lord Christ; and, having led him up into an high
mountain, shewed him from thence all the kingdoms of the
world and the glory of them, and said : All these will I
"
give thee, if thou, fallingdown, wilt worship me :" and that

the Lord made answer: "Avoid, âtan;for itis written. Thou
shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou
serve." And Hnked
surely worshipping and serving are
mutually the with the other, that they cannot be severed
one
or put asunder. Whereupon it followeth, that, seeing the

Lord requireth only and alone to be served, he
will doubtless
in like manner only and alone be worshipped. And Heli, the
great prophet of God, teaching that God can in no case abide to
have one joined unto him in worship, crieth out unto the people
worshipping God and with him their god Baal :
"
How long 1 Kings
"""""
(saith he) do you halt on both parts ? If the Lord be God,
[1 sincere, Lat.] [2 Vol. i. p. 220.]
follow him: ifBaal be god, go after him." As ifhe should have

Matt.vi.
said, You cannot worship God and Baal at once. "No man
can serve two masters." God requireth,not a

For the Lord our
piece,but our whole heart, our whole mind and soul: he leaveth
nothing therefore for us to bestow upon any other. In the epistle
Heb. i. to the Hebrews sheweth, that Christ is more
Paul excellent
than angels, because that angels adore or worship Christ, but
they again are not -worshipped. If then the angels are not
worshipped, shall we grant, beside the living,true, and

whom
everlasting God, that deserveth to be worshipped? God
therefore only and alone is to be worshipped. For in the
revelation of Jesus Christ, made unto the blessed apostle and

I saw
[Rev. xiv.
(), 7.]
evano-elistJohn, thus we read written: "And another
.
angel flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlast-

ing
gospel to preach unto them that dwell upon the earth,
and all nations, and kindreds, and tongues, and people,
to
saying with a loud voice : Fear God and give him honour,
because the hour of his judgmentis come ; and worship him
that hath made heaven and earth, the sea, and fountains of
waters." ao-ain in the same
And book we read : " And I fell
down before the feet of the angel, to worship him. And he
Rev. xix. said unto me : See thou doest it not ; I am thy fellow-servant
and of thy brethren having the testimony of Jesu ; worship
God." Again, in the end of the same book thou dost read:
Kev. xxii.
"
And after I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship
before the feet of the angel, which shewed me these things.

And he said unto me, See thou dost it not ; for I am thy
fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them
that keep the words of this book." With this thing the
Actsx.
saying and doing of St Peter doth not greatly disagree, at
whose feet when Cornelius the centurion felldown and worshipped,
Peter said, "Arise, I also myself am a man;" and
therewithal laying his hand on him, which lay along, did lift
him up, and set him on his feet. Right religiously therefore
In his book wrote Augustine touching true religion,
O savins;: "Let not
'
* "/ o
intituled De
Vera Re- be unto us the worshippins: of man's handy work. For
Uyione, c. 55.
rcligion
" i. 1 O
_
ill
better are the workmen themselves, which
make such ; whom
notwithstanding we ought not to worship. Let not religion
be to us the worshipping of mortal men : because, if they have
lived godlily, they are not to be esteemed as those that
would seek such honours ; but their will it is,that he should

v.]
be worshipped of us, who enhghtening them, they that
rejoice
we are
made fellow-partakers of his merit. They are to be
honoured therefore for imitation or following sake, not to be
worshipped for rehgion's sake. And if they have lived ill,

they are not to be worshipped, wheresoever they be^" The why the
same Augustine in his first book De consensu Evannelista- never re-
, , ceived the
rum, ' of the consent of the evangelists,and
O eighteenth
O ' chapter,
1 '
oo.iofthe
Jews to be
.
reasoning why the Romans "o"iiii'i";J-

never
received both the God
and the worship of the God of the Hebrews, considering that
they received the gods almost of all the Gentiles to be wor-
shipped
; and he answereth, that that came to pass by none
other occasion, than because the God of the Hebrews would

only and alone be worshipped without a mate or partner.
If any require his words, they are these :
"
There restcth
nothing for them they have not received the holy
to say, why
rites and worship of this God, save only because he would be

worshipped alone ; and hath forbidden them to worship the
gods of the Gentiles, whom nevertheless these people did
worship. For the sentence or opinion of Socrates (who,as by
oracle it was ratified,was the wisest of all
men) is, that every
god ought in such sort to be worshipped, as he himself hath
given commandment he would be worshipped. Therefore
were the Komans of very necessity forced not to worship the
God of the Hebrews ; because, if they would worship him
after another fashion than he himself said he would be wor-
shipped,
they should not then worship him, but that which
they themselves had devised and made : and if they would
in that manner worship him as he himself prescribed, then
they saw that they were debarred from worshipping other
gods, whom he forbad to be worshipped. And upon this they

refused the worship of the only true God, to the intent they
might not offend many counterfeit and false gods; thinking
that the anger of them would rather be more to their dis-
\} Non sit nobis religio humanorum operutn cultus. Meliores
enim sunt ipsi artifices,qui talia fabricantur, quos tamen colere non
debemus. . . .
Non sit nobis religio cultus hominum mortalium : quia si
pie vixerint, sic habentur, ut tales quserant honores
non ; sed ilium a
nobis coli volunt, quo illuminante Isetantur meriti sui nos esse con-
servos. Honorandi ergo sunt propter imitationem ; adorandi non
propter religionem. Si autcm male vixerint, ubicunque sint, non sunt
colendi. August,
" de Vera Relig. cap. 55. 0pp. Tom. i. fol. 155. col. 4.
fol. 156. col. 1. Par. 1532.]
profit than the good-will of him to their benefit^" Thus saith

Augustine. And although these things are written concern-
ing
the worship and service of God, and that we dispute of
adoring God's notwithstanding they are not pertinen

; yet
majesty im-
or beside our purpose ; for the worshipping and
serving of God arc inseparably linked and knit together. Of
this serving of God wo will speak more hcareafter. But by
the words cited before we do gather, that only and alone the
true, living,and everlasting God is to be worshipped, accord-
Deut. X.
ing to that commonly known sentence of the law : Thou shalt "
worship the Lord thy God ; him shalt thou fear, and him only
shalt thou serve : to him shalt thou cleave, and in his name
shalt thou swear."
Rewards and
Furthermore, God promised from the beginning hath
IbAhemThat
and performed, yea, and will perform whiles this world
worship God.
staudcth, great rewards to his true worshippers. wise,
Contrari-
we believe that great mischiefs or punishments are
prepared for those which either do not at all worship God,

or else instead of the true God do worship strange gods.
The Lord in his Revelation, shewed to John the apostle, saith :
Rev. xxi.
"
The fearful,and unbelieving, and the abominable, and mur-
derers,
and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and
all liars,shall have their part in the lake that burneth with
fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Toinvocate
ThcsB thiugs havB hitherto spoken of worshipping
we
God : we will now speak, in the second place, of invocating

whafi'nr"'
[1 Veruntamen diligentius ab istisquserendum est, quemnam putent
esse Deum Israel, cur eutn colendum non
receperint, sicut aliarum gen-
tium
decs quas Romanum subegit imperium, "c. Nihil ergo restat
. . .
ut dicant cur hujus Dei sacra noluerint recipere, nisi quia solum se
coli Yoluerit; illos autem deos gentium, quos isti jam colebant, coli
prohibuerit. . . .
Certe sententia illiuseorum philosophi proditur, quern
sapientissimum omnium hominum etiam oraculo fuisse firmarunt.
Socratis enim sententia est, unumquemque deum sic coli oportere,
quomodo se ipse colendum preeceperit. Proinde istis summa neces-
sitas facta est non colendi Deum Hebrseorum, quia si alio modo eum
colore vellent quam se colendum ipse dixisset, non utique ilium cole-
rent, sed quod ipsi finxissent. Si autem
vellent quo ipse illo modo
dicerot, alios sibi colcndos non esse cernebant, quos illecoli prohibebat:
ac per hoc respucrunt unius vori Dei cultum, ne multos falsos ofFen-
derent; magis arbitrantes sibi obfuturam fuisse istorum iracundiam,
quam illius benevolentiam pi-ofuturam. " August, de Consensu Evan-

gelist,
Lib. I. capp. 17, 18. 0pp. Tom. iv. fol. 81. col. 3.]
v.]
or calling upon God,
point we promised to speak.
of which
To call upon, and calling upon, is diversely taken in the
scriptures. For it signitieth to bring forth as a witness,

or a
calling to witness. So Moses
calleth heaven and earth
oeut. xxxii.
to witness against the children of Israel, by the figure Pros-
opojjoeia. Again, the name of any one to be called upon
another, is to be called by, or after, his name. Let "

over oen. xiviii.
my name" (saithJacob) "be called upon them," that is,

upon Ephraim and Manassch ; that is,let them be named by
my name, as if they were
my children ; and let them be
called, not the sons of Joseph, but the sons of Jacob Israel.
So say the wives to their husbands^, " Let thy name be i*^'- ''"
called upon us ;" that is, suffer, or give leave, that we may
be named by thy name, and that we may be made thy
wives : for those women, through the knot of wedlock, take
unto them their husbands"' names. After the same manner
do we oftentimes read in the prophets

and holy history of
the Bible, The house upon which thy name
"
is called ;"
that is, the house which is called after thy name, and is
named the Lord's house. Likewise Joab, general of the
king's army, saith unto David: "Take thou the city" (Rab-2 sam. xii.
bah, the chief city or seat royal of the Ammonites), lest I "
take it, and my name be called upon it;" that is, lest I be
called the conqueror of Habbah. Most ignorant therefore
and unskilful are they of the scriptures and the phrases of

speech used in the scripture, which cite that saying of Jacob,
which even now we declared, in defence and maintenance of
the invocation of saints ; as though Jacob would have his
name be called upon of his posterity and offspring. In
to
Daniel thou dost read, "A people upon whom the name of
oan.ix.
God is called :" which signifiethnothing else than, a people

that is called God's people. Here is no mention of invo-
cating, whereby we ask or desire any thing. Furthermore,
invocation, or calling upon, is taken for religion. For Luke
saith in the Acts : Saul had power (or

"
to bind Acts ix.
authority)
all those that called upon the name of the Lord." And Paul
saith : Let every one
"
that calleth upon the name of the
^ Tim. n.
Lord depart from iniquity." Also, " Seek after peace Avith
all them that callupon the name of the Lord," that is, which
[2 So also ed. 1584 : but ed. 1577 has rightly, husband,- maritum,
Lat.]
are of the true christian religion. Lastly, to invocate or

call upon signifieth,to cry or call for help, and with conti-
nual
outcries to crave somewhat.
Invocation That invocation therefore calling upon God, whereof
or
or callins;
entreat, is a liftingup of man's

(Ji.d,
at this time we mind to God
uyon
what it is.
in great necessity or in some desire, and a most ardent

craving of counsel and assistance by faith ; and also a be-queathi
committing of ourselves into the protection of
or
God, and as it were a betaking of ourselves to his sanctuary

and only safeguard. In invocation therefore (trueinvocation,
I a faithful
mean) mind is first of all required, which doth
acknowledge God to be the author and only giver of all
good gifts; who is willing to hear them that call upon him,
and is able to grant us all our requests and desires whatso-

ever.
An uncessant and ardent petition or beseeching is also
required. But of these points more shall be said, when

God shall give us leave, in our sermon of the prayer of the
faithful; for invocation is a kind of prayer.
Now verily I will shew, that in all our desires God is to
That God is
to be called
upon. be called upon, yea, only and alone to be called upon. Surely
there are express commandments of God,
charging us to call
upon the name of the Lord, who promiseth, that for the will
good-
love which
and he beareth us he will hear our requests
and suits, and largely give unto us things tending to our
health and benefit. Of many I will cite one or two testi-
1 Kings viii. Salomon, the wisest of all men, doth teach us to
monies.
call upon God in all and every one of our necessities,making
a particular rehearsal of men's special desires. The same
argument doth Salomon's father, that most holy king David,
handle throughout the whole hundred and seventh Psalm.
He reckoneth up therefore the divers casualties, chances,
and miseries of men, their afifliction
or oppression, their wan-
derings
and dangers in their journey,their and im-
prisonme
bonds
their diseases, and the fear of death, which
sometimes is more terrible and hideous than death itself,
their jeopardies
on the sea and rough waters S barrenness,
scarcity, calamities, contempt, shame, and ignominy. 'Those
crosses,' saith he, if they light on
'
any man, let him not
ascribe them either to his god to whose defence he hath

committed himself^, or to fortune, or to his constellation and
[1 fluminibus, Lat.] [2 deo tutelari, Lat.]
v.] OF CALLING UPON THE ONLY GOD. 207
destiny ; but to that God that knoweth all things, and can
do all things, and upon that God let him call earnestly by-
faith.' For often doth the prophet repeat these words :
"
And when they cried unto the Lord in their tribulation,
he delivered them out of their distress." And for that cause
doth he often reiterate those words, to the end that
so we,
having conceived a perfect trust in our hearts and sure
belief,might learn in all chances to call upon the name of

the Lord. For Salomon in his Proverbs yet again saith :
i'"^- *""''""
"
The name of the Lord is a most strong: tower : unto it
doth the righteous man run, and he shall be advanced-'',"or,
he shall be set free from danger. Asaph also in his holy
songs saith : Sacrifice unto the Lord a sacrifice of praise, Psai.
"
i.
and pay thy vows unto the Most Highest." And, Call upon "
me in the day of trouble, and I will dehver thee, and thou
shalt glorify me." And he

bringeth in the Lord himself
speaking, and requiring sacrifices,not of beasts, not of gold
or
silver,but of praise and invocation. Therewithal he pro-
miseth help ; and witnesseth, that by invocating and praising
he is honoured (or ; whereupon David said : In Psai. "
glorified) xvui.
my trouble I will call upon the Lord, and I will cry unto
my God ; and he shall hear my voice out of his holy temple,
and my cry shall enter into his ears." Joel also said :
*'
Every one that calleth upon the name of the Lord shall Joeiii.
be safe." And the Lord by the Ye jcr. xxix. "
prophet Jeremy saith :
shall call upon me, and ye shall live"*
: ye shall pray unto
me, and I will hear you ; ye shall seek me, and ye shall
find me, if with your whole heart ye me." more,
Further-
seek
we do not read that our holy and blessed fathers in
their petitionsand requests', were they small or were they
great, called upon any other than that God who liveth
everlastingly world without end. For the Lord himself by
Asaph saith : "In thine extremities and troubles, O Israel,Kâi.
ixxxi.
thou calledstupon me, and I delivered thee." Also David

saith: ''Our fathers hoped in thee, "ând thou deliveredst Psai. xxii.
[3 exaltabitur, Lat. ; is set aloft. Marg. Auth. Ver.]

[4 BuUinger appears to have read vivetlsfor ibitis(whichalso Bibl.
Lat. Tigur. 1544 has),ye
shall go.]
[5 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, or requests.]
["5speravei-unt, Lat. omitted; but found in ed. 1577, they hoped in
thee.]
them. Unto thee they cried, and were dehvered; in thee

they trusted, and were not
confounded." Xow add unto
all these the commandment of Christ our Lord : "
When you
pray, say, Our Father," "c. Add also the words which
Ask, and it shall be
"
follow in Luke xi. and Matthew vii.
given you ;" and so forth. We conclude, therefore, that the
true, living,and everlasting God ought of all men in all their
necessitiesto be called upon.

That God But topurpose, peradventure, I take pains in this
no
only and
alone is to
be called
point, seeing that there are but a few, or none at all, which
upon. deny that God is to be called upon. This seemeth to require
a more diligent declaration, that God only and alone is to
be called upon. For many doubtless do call upon God, but
together with God, or for God, certain chosen patrons ;
whereupon ensueth that they call not upon God only and
alone. Now that he alone is to be called upon, in this sort
we declare. By invocation
calling upon weorrequire help
or succour, either that good things may be given to us, or
that evil things may be turned away from us : which need-
eth no further proof, seeing it cannot be denied of any that
is ruled by his right wits. Now God only and alone is our
helper, who only giveth good things, and taketh away evil
things. For the Lord saith in the gospel : There is none
"
Matt. xix.
good but one," to wit, God; where one is taken for one only
and alone. Again in the law, by the mouth of Moses, the
Deut. xxxii. Lord saith: "Behold, that I am God alone, and that there
isai. xiv. is none other God beside me." And again by Isaie :
"
Am
not I the Lord? and there is none other God beside me :
God and a Saviour ; there is none
a just other beside me."
Psai. xviii. And David : "Who," saith he, "is God, besides the Lord?
and who is mighty (or a save our God?" In very
rock),
evil part therefore did the worshippers of God take it, so
often as men asked of them those things which are in the
give. Rahel said to Jacob : Give "

Gen. XXX. Lord's hauds only to
me children, or else I die." But the scripture by and by
addeth :
"
And Jacob being angry said. Am I in God's stead,
which hath denied thee" (or withholden from thee)"the

2 Kings V.
fruit of the womb?" So when the king of Syria desired
and besought Joram, the king of Israel (a king, I wis, not so

Naaman, infected with
godly),that he would heal who was
the leprosy, Joram saith : Am I a God, that I should be
"
able to kill and to give life? For he sendctli to me, that

I should heal a man from his leprosy." Wherefore most
certain it is, that to God only it belongeth
give good to
things, and to turn
away evil things. Whereupon it doth
consequently follow,that God only and alone must be called
upon. For if those patrons, whom they call upon as their
helpers and succourers that do not call upon the only God,
be able cither to give those things that are good, or to turn
away those things that are evil, then certainly there is not
one only God ; for those should likewise be gods. But
gods they are not, because there is but one God, who only
and alone (or bestoweth)good things,
giveth and taketh
away (or removeth)evil things. God only and alone there-
fore
is to be called upon : patrons called upon, are not to be
insomuch as they are able to do neither good nor harm.us
As touching that which of their own heads some do here

that patrons do us good and harm, not of themselves,
object,
but of God ; it is doubtful, yea, it is most false. For the
Lord himself by the prophet saith :
"
I am the Lord : Hu isai. xm
^
(thisor being) is my name; and my glory I will not give
to another, neither my praise to a graven imaged" So
that all glory belongeth to God, because he is only^ and
alone, not only the well-spring of all good graces, which is

never drawn dry, but also a most justand equal distributer
of the same; and for that cause he is calledupon, worshipped,
and served of men. Psalm 1.
Furthermore, insomuch as we ought to sacrificeunto none
but to one God, certain it is that we must worship but one
only God. The Lord crieth in the law : He that ofFereth Exod. "
xxii.
unto other gods than to the only God, let him be rooted out."
And therefore Paul and Barnabas, when the people of Lystra Actsxiv.
were preparing sacrificesto offer unto the apostles,they rent

their clothes thereat, as at intolerable blasphemy. For in
the law of the Lord we read ao;ain : "
Whosoever shall make Exod. xxx.
for himself composition (or perfume)of incense, to smell

a
thereto, he shall be cut off from among his people." But the
sacrificesof the godly are prayers, thanksgivings, and invoca-

tions
on God's name. For David saith: "Unto thee will Ipsai.cxvi.
[1 See above, page 133.]

[^ So also ed. 1584: buted. 1577, to graven images;
sculptiIibus,Lat.]
[3 Rather, But the glory of God is this, that he is only, "c.]
Lbullinger,ih.j
210 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sEK.AI.
sacrificea sacrificeof praise, and I will call upon the name of

Psai. cxii. the Lord." And again: "Let my prayer be directed in thy
sight as incense ; and the liftingup of my hands as an even-
[Hcb. xiii.
ing sacrifice." Paul likewise saith : By Christ we
"
offer the
sacrificeof praise always unto God, that is, the fruit of lips
Hos.xiv. which confess his name." For the prophet^ Osee biddeth us
"
offer the calves of our lips," Forsomuch therefore as one
only God is to be sacrificedunto, therefore one only God is to
be called upon. Neither is it possible, that they, whom such
as call not upon the only God name heavenly patrons, would,
if they be saints, require of men such manner of invocations :
nay rather, both against God and against the saints do these
offend, ascribing that to such which no blessed spirits do ac-
knowled
St Augustine saith, that they are not the angels
of the good God, but wicked devils, which will have not the
only and most high God, but themselves, to be worshipped and
2.
served with sacrifices Besides that, the blessed spirits(or
during
saints) the time that they lived in their mortal bodies
prayed, "Thy will be done, as in heaven so in earth :" thei'e-
fore, being now delivered and set free from all corruption,they
do much more fully, yea, most perfectly agree unto the will of
God, which commandeth all men to worship and call upon the
only God.
Again, he that looketh into and seeth the hearts of them
that call upon him, heareth their petitions or requests, and is
able to fulfilthe desires of all men living,he (I is law-
fully
say)
and fruitfullycalled upon. And surely it is requisite
and necessary that he know all things, that he be almighty,
and the searcher of hearts. Wherefore, seeing the only God
is he, the only God without further question ought to be
called upon. For only is the searcher of hearts,
that God
comprehended in no place, but present everywhere, and omni-
1 Kings viii. potcut, Salomou in these words doth testify: "Behold, the
heavens and the heaven of heavens are not able to contain
[^ et propheta, Lat. ; also the prophet.]

[^ Die mihi, dcemonia colis, an spiritus bonos, qualos sunt angeli ?
Sunt enim angeli sancti, et sunt spiritus maligni. Ego dico quia
in tcmplis tuis non coluntur nisi spiritus maligni, qui sibi exigunt
suporbi sacrificium, et volunt so coli tanquam Deos. Maligni sunt,
superbi sunt. " Aug. Enarr. in Ps. xcvi. 0pp. Par. 1531. Vol. viii. fol.
220. col. 2.]
OF CALLING UPON THE ONLY GOD. 211
v.]
thee : how
much more unable then is this house that I have
built! Thou therefore shalt hear in heaven, in the place of
thy habitation (or,in thy dwelling-place),and shalt have mercy.
For thou only knowest the hearts of the sons of men. Thou
shalt do (and give)to every one according to all his ways,

which knowest his very heart." As for the heavenly patrons,
as these call them, they do neither know the thoughts of
men
men ; neither is their power spread throughout the heaven,

the earth, and the seas ; neither do they know all things, or
yet are
everywhere present, or be omnipotent. For if it were
so with them, they should be transformed and changed into
a divine nature, and should cease any more to be creatures :
but although by Christ they everlasting blessedness, yet
enjoy
notwithstanding they remain creatures still,neither do they
know all things, neither are almighty ; therefore are they at
no hand to be called upon. In one prick and moment of
time truly innumerable thousands of mortal men offer up their
vows, and make their petitions : so that he verily which
heareth must at a pinch, and in a very moment, and not at
sundry seasons or degrees of time, know and be able to do all
things ; yea, and in a moment also reach out his helping hand
unto all : which as no creature, though never so excellent,
can do ; so the only God, that knoweth all,and is omnipotent,

can do all things, and therefore only and alone is to be called
upon.
I wot the defenders of heavenly patrons (or
well what
saints)objectagainst that which I have spoken ; to wit, that
they of their own nature do neither see nor yet hear what
is done of us upon the earth ; but in the face of God, as in a
most lightsome looking-glass, do see all things, whatsoever
God vouchsafeth to reveal to them, and that so they have an
under-knowledge of all our affairs,and also help us^. But

this imagination or forgery, in all points doubtful, can be
proved by no authority out of the holy scriptures. But

touching the celestial saints the scripture doth rather affirm
the flat contrary. For in Isaie the people of God cry out :
"Thou, 0 God, art our Father : though Abraham be ignorant isai. ixin.
of us, and Israel know us not ; yet thou, 0 Lord, art our
Father, and our Redeemer." If then the patriarchs,so studious
[3 Sentiments like the in Romish

above are frequently met with
writers: ex. gr. in Pighius, Controv. prsecip. "c. fol. 194. Par. 1549.]
14"2
knew not what they did ; which

and careful for their people,
of the saints (Ipray you) shall we grant or point out, that
knoweth what we do, and that intermeddleth with the affairsof
the living? True doubtless isthat that the holy psalm soundeth:
left (or forsaken)
r=ai. xxvii. "Because my father and my mother have
me, the Lord hath taken up." If our parents forsake and
me
leave us, how (I pray do they care, how

you) can they tell,or
it fareth with us ? Let that sufficeus wherewith David held
himself throughly content, saying: "The Lord hath taken
2Kin2sxxii.
charge over me." We read that Josias was translated out of
this lifeinto another, to the end he should not see the mischiefs,
(or plagues and punishments,) which the Lord determined to
bring upon the Israelitishpeople for their most wicked and
naughty life. The blessed souls therefore the sight of
enjoy
God, and thereby participatelight and endless joyor gladness;
they know none neither is it needful they should
of our affairs,
know them, considering that the Lord alone hath all things
in his government.
Now is that also most certain,that invocation springeth from
faith,as the fruitfrom the root. For Paul, using that saying
Whosoever of the
"
Rom. X.
of the prophet, calleth upon the name
Lord shall be safe," doth by and by add: "But how shall
they call upon him, in whom they have not behoved?" See
how the apostle bringeth in one upon another : he is not
called upon, who is not believed. Wherefore,
in whom we
believe,upon him we do also call. But in God only and alone do

we believe ; therefore on him only do we call. For whereso-
ever
true faith is,there likewise is the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Rom. viii. For the apostle saith : "If any have not the Spirit of Christ,
this man is none of his." And again :
"
You have not received
again the spiritof bondage unto fear ; but you have received
the spiritof adoption, by which cry, Abba, Father." They
we
therefore, that are endued with a true belief in God, call upon
God, whom they do acknowledge and confess to be the only

Matt. vi. Father of all. Neither might so much as the least part in
that solemn form and order of invocation, dehvered unto us by
the Son of God, be attributed by any means unto patrons,
or saints. The only God therefore is to be called upon.
The heart of sinful man tremblcth and quakcth to ap-
near unto so great a For who may seem
of the inter- proach majesty.
cessor with jjjhimsclf to appear and
^.Qj,^]^y come before the presence of
the most holy, the most just, and the most terrible God ?
Here therefore some supply and make up the matter with the
patronship or intercession of celestialsaints,by whose medi-
ation,
and making way before us, passage lieth open for us
unto God. But this they bring forth without the warrant
of the scripture. The scripture hath laid before us a law, as

it were, of calling upon God, and thereunto hath annexed
most ample or large promises : so the commandment doth set
forth unto us by and through whom we
should call upon
God, adding thereunto a
most excellent promise, and opening
unto through Christ Jesus only a ready way
us to the
Father. For in the gospel the Lord saith : Yerily, verily,joim "
xvi.
I say unto you, Whatsoever yo shall ask the Father in my

name, he shall give it to you. Hitherto you have not asked
anything in my name. Ask, and ye shall receive, that your

joy may be perfect," (orfull).And, "Whatsoever ye shall joim xiv.
ask in my name, I will do it; that the Father may be

glorified
by the Son. If you shall ask anything in my name, I will
do it." What could be spoken more fully and clearly than
these words ? Christ biddeth us by (orin)his name to call
upon God the Father, and promiseth that he will give the
faithfulwhatsoever they ask in Christ his name. Who doubt-
eth any whit at all of the truth and constancy of him
now
which promiseth ? What need we therefore henceforth the

intercession of saints? Of callingupon them, or of coming
to God by their mediation, we have no testimony of
ture,
scrip-
we have no promise. Whereunto I add, that he con-
temneth the commandment and precept of God, whosoever
seeketh by any other than by Christ and his intercession to
come to the Father. He that obeyeth the commandment of
Christ, and in his name maketh invocation, the same needeth
not all the mediation of saints. Hath not he all things
at
plentifully in Christ ? We say therefore, and affirm, that christ aione
only Christ is the mediator, intercessor, and advocate with

cesl"oVa'n
Kther.
the Father in heaven of all men which are in earth ; and in the
such sort the only mediator, "c. that after him it is need-
less
to have other advocates.
Many do grant that Christ is given unto us an cessor
inter-
with God ; but because they joinwith him many other, a mediator
^
they do not surely send all unto him alone, neither yet do Mon'ând
'" "''^'*'""'
they preach one

only mediator. They imagine that Christ is
214 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SEIIM.
the mediator of redemption, yea, and the only mediator ; liow-

beit not the only mediator of intercession,but together with
him many more. But the scripture setteth forth unto us
Christ, as the only mediator of redemption, so also of inter-
cession.
The officeof a mediator touching redemption and
intercession is and the selfsame.
one A mediator putteth
himself in the midst between them that are at variance or dis-
agreement;
and he is joinedto each in disposition and nature.

An intercessor putteth himself in the midst between them that
are at strife and dissension ; and unless he be indifferent for
either side, he cannot be an intercessor.

parts re-
conciliatioOn both
(oratonement)is required and looked for. There

must needs therefore be a certain cause of discord ; which
being taken away, the discord or debate doth also cease. The
cause of discord is sin. It is the duty therefore of a mediator
or intercessor quite to rase out sin, that disagreement may no
lono;er remain. For this there is no amends or
satisfaction
made with words or with prayers, but with blood and death.
Hebrews ix. Whereupon we do necessarily gather, that only
Christ is the mediator or intercessor with the Father. For
principally Christ^ may set himself in the midst between God.

and men, because he only is partaker of both natures. The
saints participate but only one ; for they are men ; but
Christ is both God and man. Furthermore, he that is an
intercessor must also be a reconciliator, or an atonement-
maker. For the end, whereat he that maketh intercession

doth shoot, is reconciliation. But Christ is the only reconcili-
ator
of men, therefore also the only intercessor. For it be-
longeth to an intercessor to dissolve the cause of contention
and discord, that is to say, to abolish and take away sin. But
Christ alone, and no creature, taketh away sin. It remaineth
therefore that Christ is the only intercessor. Hitherto do now
pertain the testimonies of scripture. Paul saith : There is one "
God, and reconciler (or mediator)

one of God and men, the
man Christ Jesus, who gave himself the price (orransom) for
the redemption of all." And although the
apostle speak
expressly of redemption, yet notwithstanding these words
[1 rcconciliatio dissidentium, Lat. ; reconciliation of parties at
variance.]
[2 Principio enim solus Cbristus, Lat. ; For, in the first place, only
Christ, "c.]
v.]
tion
invoca-
are placed in the midst between the disputation of the
Christ, who is the only
upon God, which is done by
he alone
mediator of redemption and intercession. For as
redeemed us, so doth he alone even now commend us, being
redeemed, unto the Father. this let the apostle be

Touching
heard once to the llomans : Christ, when"
as Hom. v.
again, saying
yet we were sinners, died for
much more therefore nowus :
being justified (ormade righteous)by his blood, we shall be

saved from wrath through him." And yet again somewhat
plainer :
"
For if,when we were enemies, we were reconciled
to God by the death of his Son ; much more, being reconciled,
we shall be saved by his life." For
in another place the
same apostle saith : "Christ ever liveth" for this end, "toHeb. vu.
intercession for us." And again :

"
It is God that Rom. viu.
make
justifieth
: who is he that can condemn ? Christ is he that
died ; yea, that is raised up ; who also is at the right hand of
God, and maketh intercession for us." The same Christ open-
eth the way, or maketh access, for us unto the Father ^

Hebrews, chapter iv. and Ephesians, chapter ii. For the Lord
Jesus himself in the gospel doth not shew unto us many
doors, but one only door. I am (saithhe) the "
door." And Joimx.
again: "I am (saithhe) the way, the truth, and the life.John xiv.
None cometh to the Father but by me." Doth not he which
life," yea, and
saith, "I am way, the truth, and the
the
such a
way, that there is access to the Father by none other
than by me, that is,by me only and alone, exclude all other
means, all other ways, and all other patrons or advocates
whatsoever? Also in another place of the gospel, lest any
through shamefacedness, knowledge of their own unworthiness,
Christ the
and guiltiness of sins, or the majestyand glory of
God in the
Son of God, should be hindered from calling upon
to Christ his
name of Christ, and committing themselves
defence; he in his own person, plainly and lovingly caUing all
unto him and to the benefit of his defence, crieth : Come Matth. "
xi.
loaden, and I will

unto me, all you that labour and are heavy
give you rest."
Out of the epistleto the Hebrews noless evident testi-
monies
than these, and that good store, may be gathered.
[3 Idem Patrem per Christum in

rursus aditum nobis ad aperit
epistola, "c. ; the same (apostle) again opens for us access to the
Father through Christ in his epistle, "c.]
Amongst other this one is excellent : " Christ, for that he
cndureth for ever," saith the apostle, "hath an

everlasting
priesthood. AVherefore he is able perfectly to save them
that come unto God
by him, seeing he ever liveth (for this
intercession for them. For such an high priest
end) to make
it became us to have, (which is)holy, harmless,
undefiled,
separated from sinners,and made higher than the heavens, "c."
Mark, I pray you, how
many arguments in this testimony of
Paul we have, to prove that Christ is the
only intercessor of
the faithful in heaven with the Father. The proper or
peculiar office of the priest is, to make intercession : but only

Christ is priest in the presence of God : he therefore is the
only intercessor. Now also the priesthood of Christ is ever-

lasting,
or
unchangeable. Therefore, not by once offering up
hath he redeemed us, being made the alone and only JMediator
of redemption ; but the everlasting and perpetual Mediator also
of intercession, making intercession for us even tillthe end of
the world. For albeit our Lord be a judge yet notwithstand-
^,
ing
he is a judgeof
the unfaithful,a defender and upholder of
the faithful,and at the length, when the world is at an end, a
judgeof all. And if so be he have an everlasting priesthood,
and {aTrapdfSarov)
not conveyable, I say, or removeable,
which cannot, either by succession, resignation^, or part-
taking, pass over to any other ; then certainly Christ
only and
alone remaineth intercessor of the faithful. Moreover, there
is no cause why we should choose and take to ourselves,
either after Christ, or
with Christ, other intercessors. For he
is able himself alone to
work salvation at the full; leav-
our ing
unto others nothing at all whereabout to busy themselves.
Let us also firstof all^ note that
which expressly he doth add,
"That come unto God by him;"
by him, I say, that is, our
mediator, priest, and intercessor, Christ : for by him only
and alone the way lieth open for us to to the Father.
go
Unto which also is annexed, "That he liveth;
and (forthis
end) he liveth to make intercession for us." The heavenly
saints also do Hve in the kingdom of God with Christ : but
they live for themselves (orfor their own not for us
benefit),
(or our advantage). Christ liveth for us, and maketh inter-
cession
for us : therefore he alone maketh intercession. Saints
[J et judex,Lat. ; a judge too.]

[2 resignation, not in Lat.] p imprimis, Lat. ;
especially.]
do not make intercession. These reasons do prove unto us
most manifestly, I think, that the apostle speaketh of the

mediation of intercession, not of redemption. Last of all, he
requireth in an intercessor such manner of marks (orproper-

tics)
as a man cannot find in any save in Christ the Lord
only and alone. For angels be innocent and
although the
harmless, yet notwithstanding they are not higher than the
heavens. The heavenly saints, although they be now purged
and made clean from sins, yet for all that by nature they are
not separated from sinners, neither are they made higher
than the heavens, as being lords over angels and over every
creature. the Son is such a one,
Only and for him this glory
is reserved and kept : he alone therefore is the intercessor
of
the faithful with the Father.
Unto these testimonies of Paul we will yet joinone of
St Peter, and another of the most blessed apostle and evan- i Pet. ii.
gelist John. St Peter

doth teach that the saints, that is, we
which are faithfulin this world, are laid, as lively stones, by

faith upon Christ the lively stone ; and that we are made a
spiritual building (orhouse), and an holy priesthood, to offer

spiritual sacrifices,acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Lo,
we laid, not upon saints,but upon Christ, the lively stone;
are
by whom we are both quickened and preserved in the building.

We are made a spiritual house, and an holy priesthood, for
this end ; that we should offer, not sacrificesof beasts, but
spiritual sacrifices,to wit, our own selves and our prayers,
unto God by Jesus Christ, not by saints. For they also are
the spiritualhouse with us, the lively stones, laid upon Christ,
and living through Christ.

Furthermore, John writeth :
"
My babes, these things i John i-
write I unto you, that ye sin not : and if any man sin, we
have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the just
(or the And he is the propitiation (or recon-
righteous). ciliation)
for our
sins ; and not for ours only, but also (for
the the I do not think that any
sins)of whole world."
thing could be devised or spoken"* more agreeable to our pur-
pose,
more evident, more strong or better than this. We
hear that Christ is appointed and made unto of God not
us
only a mediator of redemption, once to redeem, but to be

["*vel
confingi posse, Lat. ; could even be devised :"
or spoken, the
translator's
addition.]
218 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sKKM.
an everlasting mediator, yea, of intercession ; who so often

standetli an advocate before God the Father, how often sinful
man offendeth and hath need of his help and defence ; unto
whom also the guilty may boldly have access, and commit
unto him their cause to be pleaded before God. If any "
man sin," saith John,

"
we have an advocate with the Father."
Lo, John calleth him an advocate, whom the defenders (or
do call a mediator
maintainors)of the patronship of saints
of intercession. For advocatus, TrapaKXtjTos, and advocate,
defender, a favourer, a comforter, a patron,
signifietha tutor, a
^ in
or a pleadeth, or hath a cause
proctor, which handling.
But mark whom he defineth and setteth forth to be our
advocate : not the holy virgin, not Peter or Paul, not himself
or Stephen, but Jesus Christ. If he had thought or believed
that the patronship of heavenly saints had been overand
besides necessary and wholesome for men, then would he
have joinedthem with Christ the Lord: now he setteth forth
unto Christ alone.

us He addeth, "the just"(or the right-
eous)
; as if he had said, there is no cause why any should
distrust or stand in doubt of his patronship, or think him a
patron not in his Father's favour and love. He is the Son,

he is Christ, he is the justor righteous : therefore he is highly
in his Father's favour, and most acceptable ; who in the
presence of the most justGod may appear for us that are

Such righteousness is not found in any one of Adam's
unjust.
children. But it is required in an intercessor. Indeed, he
doth communicate his righteousness to the saints by faith ;
but that righteousness is imputed to the saints,and it is im-
putative.
In Christ righteousness is natural, and as it were
born in him ; yea, it is properly his own. For Christ Jesus,
he is the only righteous in heaven and in earth ; who needeth
not first for his own sins, and then for the offences of the
people, either to pray or to offer sacrifice; for he only
hath no sin, and he is the righteousness of all : he^ therefore
maketh intercession with the Father, because none naturally

and properly is but Christ alone. And it is not
righteous
amiss in this place first of a\P to mark, that Christ is called
a propitiation, or satisfaction,not for sinners or people of one
[1 So jjlsoed. 1584: but cd. 1577, our cause; causam uostram, Lat.]
[2 solus, Lat. ; he only.]
[3 in primis, Lat. ; most especially.]
v.]
or ages, but for all sinners and all faithful people
two
throughout the -whole world. One Christ therefore is suffi-
cient for all : one intercessor with the Father is set forth
unto all. For how
often thou sinnest, so often thou hast
ready a
righteous intercessor with the Father. Not that we what
. " manner of
-,,..., , ^ 1^ l^ 1
shoula imagine in heaven, as in a court, the b ather upon Ins intercession

Chrisfsis.
1 .
-TITO /"
throne to sit as judge, and the Son our
a patron so oiten
to fall down on his knees, and to plead or entreat for us,
as we
sin and oifend : but we understand with the apostle,
that Christ is the advocate and the universal priest of the
church, and that he only appeareth in the presence of the
Father : because as the power and force of his death, (albeit
he die not daily,)
so the virtue of his intercession,is always
effectual. Let us therefore draw near and come to God by
Christ, the only mediator of our redemption and intercession,
our
only intercessor and advocate. We cannot but be ac-
ceptable
unto God the Father, if we be commended unto him
by his only-begotten Son.
Furthermore, weak are the arguments wherewith the An answer
t3 to certain ar
_
maintainors of the heavenly patrons go about to establishfâ^^ng ^f"^
their patronship or intercession. The Spirit,say they, maketh 'aril's^''"

"""' ^'""
intercession for according to the doctrine of the apostle ;
us
therefore Christ alone doth not make intercession. I answer,

that Paul speaketh not of another intercessor in heaven, but
of the spirit of man in this world; which, being
praying
enlightened and the Spirit of God, groaneth
kindled with
and maketh intercession for the saints. The words of the
apostle are plain.

These yet add: We
men read in scripture of thef^^^^'"^
do
prayers of angels, and that they offer the prayers of the
faithful in God's presence : therefore not Christ alone prayeth
or
maketh intercessionfor us in heaven, but also the saints.
We deny that this foUoweth ; because
the scripture teacheth
that angels are ministering spirits; and, according to their Heb. i.
office,offer prayers only as ministers in the presence of God,

but not to make intercession, or that men are heard for
angels' sakes, but for Christ's sake, who maketh intercession,

and for whose sake the prayer which is brought and offered
unto God is acceptable unto him. Now if so be they will
bring forth the like also touching the blessed souls of the
saints,and reason, a simili, from that that is like ; let them
first teach that souls are appointed and made ministering

spirits. But they cannot : and if they could, yet had they
not proved that the heavenly saints are intercessors. For
not the angels themselves, doubtless,are therefore intercessors,
because they offer the prayers of men unto God.
They agree, say they, and are knit unto us in the
same knot
of charity and love ; and for because the spirits
of the blessed which live in heaven do love us here in earth,
therefore, according to the nature and disposition of this
love, they also pray for us. We answer, that they gather
this without warrant of scripture. For, that we may without
wrangling grant them this,that the saints in heaven are not
without the love of their neighbour; yet notwithstanding we
add, that this love in the heavenly saints hath not now that
nature disposition,and those offices,which in times past it
or
had in earth. Otherwise, we should attribute many more
absurditiesto the saints ; as though they either did or suffered
those things, which they neither do nor yet suffer. Whilst

they lived in earth, according to the dispositionand nature of .
love, they were sorry, and they were glad, and they prayed ||
with us, yea, they also made intercession for us : but now
that they have
put off this corruption and have left us,
leading their lives in heaven with the Lord, they neither
know our affairs,neither are moved with any earthly affec-
tions.
understand that it is passing well with us^
They
without their help. They understand likewise that the work
of our salvation is already wrought and accomplished-, so
that they may acquiet themselves, and rest from their labours,
and in Christ ; is doubtless the only intercessor
who
rejoice
with the Father of all men living in their misery, because
he knoweth all,and can do all,neither is he moved at, nei-ther
wearied or tired with, or yet is ignorant of any thing ;
but taketh upon him most absolutely and dispatcheth all
things, whatsoever are incident or belong to an intercessor.
They understand that this glory agreeth unto the only Son
of God ; and therefore they go not busily about it, that
they in Christ's stead might appoint or make themselves in-
[1 nobis abunde consultum esse, Lat. ; that we are full well cared
for.]
[2 constitutum esse salutis ncgotiuni, Lat. ; that the work of sal-
vation
is
ordered.]
v.]
tercessors : for hero the love that they bear to God sur-
passeth the love of their neighbour.

But these men that the saints pray not in heaven
object,
after the rite and fashion of that only intercessor, but after
the same manner that they prayed for their fellow-brethren in
earth. Even now we said that it did not follow, This they did
in earth, therefore they do the same in heaven. Neither can
it be proved by manifest scriptures that the saints in heaven
pray for us. Why then do they set forth unto us doubtful
opinions for certain ? For, that we may grant them that the
saints pray in heaven, (which thing not a few of the fathers

have written^ it doth not therefore follow that the saints are
;)
to be called upon. For that sentence of St Augustine is very
well known, which is read written in his book De civitate

Dei, XXII. chap. 10 : "
The Gentiles did both build temples,
made altars, ordained priests, and offered sacriiicesunto their

gods. But we do not erect temples to our martyrs, as unto
gods ; but remembrances as unto dead men, whose spiritslive

with God. Neither do we there set up altars,upon which we
might sacrifice unto martyrs; but we sacrifice to one God,
who is the sacrificeboth of the martyrs, and also our sacrifice:

according to which sacrifice,as men of God, that have over-
come
the world in the confession of him, they are named in

their place and order. Howbeit, they are not called upon of
the priest that sacrificeth,because he is God's priest, and not
theirs. Now the sacrificeitselfis the body of Christ, which is
not offered unto them ; because they also themselves are
the same^." Thus saith he : testifying plainly enough, that
the saints are not called upon, or to be called upon, because
sacrificebelongeth unto God, and not to the saints.
[3 Bullinger quotes passages from Cyprian, Augustine, and
some
Jerome, in his treatise, De Oi'ig. Error, capp. 14, 15, 16, 17.]
[4 Denique illitalibus diis suis et templa sedificaverunt, et statue-
runt aras, et sacerdotes instituerunt, et sacriftcia fecerunt. Nos autem
martyribus nostris non templa sicut diis,sed memorias sicut hominibus

mortuis, quorum apud Deum vivunt spiritus, fabricamus. Nee ibi
erigimus altaria, in quibus sacrificemus martyribus, sed uni Deo et mar-

tyrum et nostro sacriflcium immolamus; ad quod sacrificium, sicut
homines Dei, qui mundum in confessione vicerunt, suo loco et
ejus
ordine nominantur ; non tamen a
sacerdote, qui saci'ificat,invocantur ;
quia Dei sacerdos est, non illorum. Ipsum

sacrificium corpus vero est
Christi, quod non offertur ipsis, quia hoc sunt et ipsi. Augustin. de "
Civit. Dei, Lib. xxii. cap. 10. 0pp. Tom., v. fol. 302. col. 4. Par. 1531.]
The church Whcreforo,

"^'hcn the adversaries add, that the church
'
saints. many years called upon the saints,that the church erred not,
and therefore they that callupon the saints do not err ; we
answer, that the church doth not err, when she heareth the
voice of her bridegroom and shepherd : but that she doth err,
when, neglecting the voice of her shepherd, she followeth her
own decrees. The whole church of Israel erred, together
with their high priest Aaron and the elders of the people,
when, transgressing the law of God, they worshipped God
represented by an image with singings and dancings, other-

wise
than he himself had appointed. Neither are the Israel-
ites
absolved from error and sin, for that many years they
put not down their high places.
They add again, the saints have helped when they have
been called upon ; therefore they are to be called upon.
Oftentimes that falleth out well which is instituted against
the word of God. But who can thereupon gather that that
is good which is instituted against the word of God ? As
though the innocent and harmless were therefore to be spoiled
with war, because we see that by war merciless soldiers wax
rich. gods of the Gentiles likewise seemed to hear the
The
petitionsof their suppliants ; but are the gods of the Gentiles

therefore to be called upon ?
But we mean not to answer to every one of their argu-
ments,
because we have done that already elsewhere, accord-
ing
to our talent'. We conclude, therefore, that the word of
truth, uttered out of the mouth of God, doth teach us invoca-
tion
of God''s name by the mediation of Jesus Christ : neither

do we read that any holy man, either in the old or the new
Testament (of whom
the scripture undoubtedly hath made
called upon any, though never

mention), so excellent a patri-
arch
or prophet, departed this life, or upon any apostle,
or apostle's disciple, otherwise than by the name of Jesus
Christ. Let us therefore hold fast, that that doctrine is
most perfect and most safe, which biddeth us all to call upon
God alone by his only Son, and that God himself requireth
this of every one of us ; and that when we obey, we please
God.
The last place, touching the serving of God, doth remain
behind. This word colere is in Latin of large signification.
[1 Bulling, de Orig. Erroris, Lib. i. capp. 18, 19. Tigur. 1.5.S9.]
OF CALLING UPON THE OMLY GOD. 223
v.]
For wesay, colere amicitiam, to maintain friendship, colere
literarum studla, to love learning, colere arva, to tillor hus-
band
our lands, and colere senes, to reverence old men. We
in this place colere for servire, that is,in all points like
use a xo serve,
^ '^ ' '*"
servant to be dutiful,and to shew himself obedient to rever-

ence, or have in veneration, and to do worship. The Hebricians
use their word ahad, which the Latin interpreter translateth
or
servivit, coliiit, ; that is,he served, worshipped,
sacrificavit^
sacrificed. In the book of Kings thou dost read: And i
"
or Kings xvi.
Achab served Baal, and worshipped him." The Grecians call

this service either Xarpeia or SovXe'ia. The one is taken
for the other : though indeed servire, to serve, be more than
colere, to worship for thou canst abide without any ado to
:
worship some man ; but to serve the same, thou canst not so
well away withal. We say therefore that the service^ of The service
"
God is a service whereby men submit themselves reverently
unto God, and obey him, and according to his will worship
him. They therefore serve* God, which scrve^ him earnestly,
behave themselves dutifully in obeying him, serving*' him
inwardly and outwardly, as he hath appointed.
For the service^ of God is twofold, or of two sorts ; the The service
true and the false. The true is called true religion, true twofoid.ôr
faith, and godliness. The false is called superstition,idolatry,
and ungodliness. For that is the true service^ of God, which

springeth from the true fear of God, from a sincere faith,which
submitteth itselfin all things to the will of God^ The false
service consisteth in the contrary : touching the which we
will say more, when we come to speak of superstition.

The true service of God is divided again, for perspicuity
or plainness'sake, into the inward service of God, and the
outward. The inward service is known to God alone, who is
the searcher of hearts. For it is occupied in the fear of God,
and perfect obedience, in faith,hope, and charity, from whence
do spring the worshipping of God, the calling upon him,
thanksgiving, patience, perseverance, chastity,innocency, well-
[2 Exod XX. 5; vii. 16. Vulgate.]

[3 cultum, Lat.] [* colunt, Lat.]
[5 timent, Lat.; fear him.] [6 colentes, Lat.]
[''cultus, Lat.]
[8 So also ed. 1584: but cd. 1577, which submitteth itself to God
alone, and applieth itself in all things, "c. So Lat.]
The inward doing, and the rest of the fruits of the Spirit. For with these
service ot"
God.
gifts of God and spiritual things God, who is a Spirit, is
truly served : without these no service is allowed of God,
howsoever in the sight of men it seem gay, glorious and pure.
This service of God hath testimonies both divine and human ;
but firstof all of the law, the prophets, and the apostles. For
in the law Moses And
Israel, what doth the
saith :
"
now,
Lord thy God require of thee, but that thou shouldest fear
the Lord thy God, and walk in all his ways, that thou
shouldest love him, and that thou shouldest serve the Lord thy
God all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that thou
with
shouldest keep the commandments of the Lord, and his ordi-
nances,
which I command thee this day for thy wealth ?"
Micheas the prophet bringeth in one asking questions concern-
ing
the true service of God, in what things the same consisteth,
and he maketli answer I will shew theeS O man, what is
"
:
good, and what the Lord doth require of thee : surely to do

justly
(orjudgment),
to love mercy, and to humble thyself to
walk with thy God^." St Paul the apostle saith : I beseech "
you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye give up your

bodies a living sacrifice,holy, acceptable unto God, (whichis)
your reasonable serving of God. And fashion not yourselves

like unto this world, but be ye changed by the renewing of
your mind, that ye may prove what is the will of God, and
what is good and acceptable and perfect^." The same apostle,
comprehending in few words the true service of God to be a
turning from idols unto God and the faith of Jesus Christ,
1 Tliess.
saith : They of Macedonia, and other nations (or
"
quarters),
shew of you, how you are turned to God from idols,that ye
might serve the living and true God, and look for his Son
from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, who
delivereth us from the wrath to come." Moreover, St James
James i. the apostle saith : " Pure religionand undefiled before God the
Father is this, to visitthe fatherless (or
orphans)and widows
in their adversity, and to keep himself unspotted of the
[1 So Coverdale, 1535, and Vulgate.]

[2 to bo lowly, and to walk with thy God, Coverdale, 1535. et soli-
citum (BuUinger adds, vol subraissum, which word is used in Bibl. Lat.
Tigur. 1544) ambulare cum Deo tuo. Vulgate]
[3 "
ut quotidiano docti exercitio tandem discernere possimus, quid

Deus velit, quodnam illud bonum et rectum sit, quid illi placcat, et
quEC sit ilia absoluta felicitas. Bulling,
"
expos, in loc]
OF SERVING THE ONLY GOD. 225
v.]
world*." These divine and evident testimonies of holy scrip-

ture
declare plentifullyenough, dearly beloved, which is the
true inward service of God. Human testimonies nevertheless,
nothing disagreeing from divine, there are many and every-
where
found in ecclesiastical
writers. Lactantius, lib. Insti-
tut. vi. cap. 9, saith :
"
Therefore the knowledge of God and
his service is all in all: in this consisteth all the hope and
salvation of man : this is the firststep (ordegree)of wisdom,
that wc should know who is our true Father, that we should
reverence him alone with due godliness, that wc should obey
him, and most devoutly serve him : and to obtain his favour,
let all labour, care, and industry be bestowed^" Of this kind
the same citeth''other testimonies also largely in the
author
tenth chapter of the same book ; and in the firstchapter of
his book, de vero Dei Cultu, he giveth us manifest^. But
instead of many we like well the citing of that one testimony,
touching the true service of God, freely uttered by the mouth Thetesti-
of a Roman martyr^ before judge Asclepiades at the Roman Roman

niartyr eon-
",,,,, .
if'i
consistory.
"/
For after he had both courageously./ and religiously
o "/
eemingthe
o
true service
told what God was in person, and what in substance, he "^ ^^"^
addeth :
Thou knowest God : now understand as well
The form and manner how he served is;

What kind of church it is where he doth dwell;
What gifts to give he thought it not amiss ;
What vows he asks : whom he (beside all this)
'
Will have his priests, and in his church likewise

What he commands to bring for sacrifice.
Unto himself, even in the mind of man, God's temple

or church.
A church he hath vouchsafed up to rear ;
[* Soed. 1577: but 15S4, 1587, in the world; a mundo, Lat.]

Dei agnitione et cultu rerum
[^ In summa versatur; in hoc est spes
omnis ac salus hominis : hie est sapientise gradus primus, ut sciamus

quis sit nobis verus pater, eumque solum pietate debita prosequamur,
huic pareamus, huic devotissime serviamus ; in eo promerendo actus
omnis et cura et opera coUocetur. Lactant. Instit. Lib. vi.

"
cap. 9.
p. 676. Lugd. Bat.
1660.]
[6 recitat, Lat.]
et luculentissima de vero
[''' Cultu, cap. 1. Lat. ; and (thesame
Dei
author)gives the most clear description of the true worship of God in

the firstchapter (of the same book). The sixth book of Lactantius* "
Institutes is entitled, De Vero Cultu.']

[^ Rather, of the martyr Romanus.]
r 1
15
III. J
[bULLINGER,
22G THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
A lively, feeling, breathing church, which can
Not sundred be, fair, beautiful, and clear.

And never like destruction's dint to fear,
With lofty top, and painted pleasantly
With colours fresh of great diversity.
God's priest. At th' holy porch a priest is standing there,
And keeps the doors before the church "which been.
Faith is her name, a virgin chaste and clear,
Her hair tied up with filletslike a queen.

For sacrifices simple, pure, and clean,
And which she knows are pleasing, bids this priest
Offer to God, and to his dear Son Christ ;
God's sacri- A sliamefac'd look, a meek and harmless heart.

fiees.
The rest of peace, a body pure and chaste,
The fear of God, which sinners doth convert :
The rule likewise of knowledge truly plac'd,
A sober fast from all excessive waste
Of gluttony, an hope which doth not faint,
A liberal hand which gives without restraint.
From these oblations vapour doth arise.

a
Which savours sweet by virtue's force compels :
It doth ascend and pierce the azure skies ;

The scent of balm and satfron it excels.
Yea frankincense, and Persian spices' smells :
From earth to heaven it mounteth up aloft,

And pleaseth God therewith dehghted oft^.
[^ Cognostis ipsum ? nunc

colendi agnoseite
Ritum modumque quale sit templi genus ;
;
Qua? dedicari sanxerit donaria ;

Qute vota poscat ; quos sacerdotes velit;
Quod mandet illicnectar immolarier.
sibi ipse mente in hominis condidit,
-lEdem
Vivam, serenam, sensualem, flabilem,
Solvi incapacem posse, nee destructilem,
Pulchram, venustara, pi'ajminentem culmine,
Discriminatis inlitam coloribus.
Illicsacerdos stat sacrato in lumine,

Foresque primas virgo custodit Fides,
Innexa crines vinculis regalibus.
Poscit litarivictimas Christo et Patri,
Quas scit placerc, candidatas, simplices ;
Frontis pudorem, cordis innocentiam,

Pacis quietem, castitatem corporis,
Dei timorem, regulam scientia?,
Jejuniorumparcitatem sobriam,
Spem non jacentem,semper et largam manum.
v.] OF SERVING THE ONLY GOD. 227
And so forth as followeth to this purpose. These things

I think the inward
sufficient,concerning service of God :
"wherein I confess in the meanwhile be somewhat

to which
may be referred also to the outward service of God.
The outward service of God
springcth from the inward; The outward
neither is it known to God alone, as this other, but is "^
open old!"'
to the judgmentof man ; and it is a keeping or executing of
the rites instituted of God himself, whereby we do both tes-
tify
unto men the inward service, and practise them to the
glory of God and our profit. Of this kind were among the
ancient people the temple, the priesthood, and all the cere-
monies
instituted of God, which are
very often called the
service of God. And this service had his appointed limits;
for it was not lawful for to feign a service of
every one
God after their own pleasure, as is shewed at large in the
law and in the holy history.
Now that outward service served to the glory of God
and the profit of the faithful: which thing I have declared
when I was in hand with the Jewish^ ceremonies. more,
Further-
as Christ abrogated those old rites,so in their
stead
he placed again a very few. For he instituted an holy as-
sembly,
wherein his will is that his word should be preached
and expounded of the holy scripture to his own
out glory
and to our profit; common prayer to be made ; and the
sacraments to be ministered and received. To
which things a
convenient place is necessary, fit time, due order, and holy
instruments. Where again the godly do in nothing follow
their own wills; for from the word of that God, whom
they serve, they fetch the whole manner and order of serving
him. Whereof somewhat is spoken in the fourth command-
ment
of the firsttable, and shall be at large in
spoken more
due place and order.
Ex his amcenus hostiis surgit vapor,

Vincens odorem balsami, turis, croci,
Aui'as madentes Persicoi'um aromatum ;
Sublatus inde ccelum adusque tollitur,
Et prosperatum dulce delectat Deura.
Prudentii Peristeph. Hymn. xiv. 341 "
365.
Eomanus, to Asclepiades,
whose address prefect of the city, is thus
versified, was a martyr at Antioch in the fourth century. Magdeb.
Centur. Cent. iv.
cap. 12.]
[2 Israeliticis,Lat.]
15"2
To be short, they serve God with outward service, who

bj faith and obedience gather themselves into the holj as-sembly
at limited times; who keep the ecclesiasticalpline
disci-
derived out of the word of God ; who hear the word of
God, or the holy exposition of the sacred scriptures ; who
pray publicly with the church ; who religiouslyparticipate

the sacraments ; and observe other lawful and
wholesome rites
or ceremonies. By
this their service they glorify God
among men, and receive of God no small reward ^ namely,
his blessing,and increase of heavenly gifts.
There is no need, I think, in this place, of testimonies
of the scriptures,to confirm these things that we have hitherto

spoken touching the outward service of God. For every-
where
in the history of the Gospel, in the Acts and Epistles
of the Apostles, very many are to be found. For the Lord

Jesus doth everywhere gather together holy assemblies, to
whom he preacheth the gospel, and commendeth prayer.
Of Mary sitting at his feet and hearing his preaching he
saith :
"
This one thing is necessary ; Mary hath chosen the
good part, which shall not be taken from her." And in

Luke xi. another place :
"
Blessed are they," saith he, which hear
"
the word of God, and keep it." Surely the Lord himself
institutedand put in use the sacraments. For to John, not
consenting to baptize him at his asking, and saying, I have

"
need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me ?" he

answered,
"
Let it be so now : for so it becometh us to fulfil
all righteousness." Whereupon the apostle Paul Hkewise,

diligently commending disciplineto the churches,
ecclesiastical
ordained most decently holy assemblies. The places are very
well known unto all; 1 Cor. xi. 14, 16 ; likewise 1 Tim. ii.
and elsewhere.
But before I conclude this place, I will shew that only
That only
God is to be served^. And surely the service itself,whereof
God is to be
served. we have hitherto entreated, cannot be bestowed upon any
creature, neither angels nor
celestialsaints; to God alone it
agreeth. Wherefore there is none so blind but may see
that God alone must be served with these. And when God
requireth of us his service or duty, he requireth our whole
heart: nothing therefore is left us to bestow upon other.
Moses, fullof the Spirit of God, saith in his law :
"
Ye shall
[ûtilitatem, Lat.] [2 colendum, Lat.]

v.]
walk after the Lord your God, and fear him ; liiscommand-
ments
shall ve keep ; and ye shall hearken unto his voice,
and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him." Neither
makes it any matter that here the word "alone" is not
added, seeing that the words are uttered with an emphasis

or force. For when he saith, "
Ilim shall ye serve, and
to him ye shall cleave," what other thing do we understand,
than to him and not to any other, therefore to him alone ?
Furthermore, in the sixth chapter of Deuteronomy, thou
dost not read, Thou shalt
"
fear the Lord thy God, and him
alone shalt thou serve, and thou shalt swear by his name ;"
Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and him" (em-
"
but, phatically)
"
shalt thou serve, and thou shalt swear by his
name." Furthermore, the Lord in the gospel, bringing these
words of the law against the tempter, and making the em-
phasis
"
It is written," (saithhe), Thou "
shalt worship Matt.iv.
plain,
the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Which
testimony doubtless, being most effectual and pithy, is only
sufficient for our demonstration, that God alone is to be
served.
I will add hereunto the testimony of a man,
moreover
howbeit established by divine authority, which we also else-

where
set down in our books. St Augustine, de Quantitafe
Animce, doth shew that God alone is to be served in this
"Whatsoever soul doth serve God, needful it
"
sort : the as
is that she think the same better than herself. But we must
believe that neither the earth,the stars,nor the sea, nor
nor the moon, nor the sun, nor anything at all that may be
felt,or seen with these eyes ; to be short, not heaven itself,
which cannot be seen of us, is better than the nature of the

soul ; yea rather, that all these are far worse than is any
soul, assured reason doth convinced" And anon ;

"
If there-
fore
there be any other thing of those that God hath cre-
ated,
something is worse, something is as good : worse, as
[3 Quicquid anima colit ut Dcum,

enim necesse est ut melius esse
quam seipsam putet. Animce autem natura nee terra, nee maria, nee
sidera, nee luna, nee sol, nee quicquam omnino quod tangi aut his
oculis videri potest, non denique ipsum, quod videri a nobis non potest,
ccelum, melius esse credendum est. Imo hsec omnia longe deteriora
esse,quam est quselibet anima, ratio certa convincit. " August, de Quant.
Animse. cap. 34. 0pp. Tom. i. fol. 130. col. 4. Par.
1532.]
the soul of a beast ; equal, as the angels : but nothing is

better : and if happily something of those better, this cometh
to pass bj sin and not by nature ; by -which sin notwith-
standing
ill,that the soul of a beast
it becometh not so is
it.
either to be preferred before it, or to be compared with
God therefore alone is to be -worshipped of it, -who alone is
the author of it. And as for any other man, though he bo
most -wise and most perfect, or any soul endued -with reason,
and most blessed, they are only to be loved and followed ;
and according to desert and order, that is to be exhibited
How saints unto them, which agreeth and is fit for them. For it is
written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him
'
worshipped,
only shalt thou served'" These be St Augustine's words.

And thus far have we entreated of one only, living,true, and
everlasting God to be served.
Of true re- Moroover, whosoever cleave unto God with a sincere
faith, and worship, call upon, and serve one God lawfully,
they arc
rightly named religious: their study and action is
true relicjion. Some will have reliorionto be derived a relin-
quendo^, because thereby we leave or forsake false gods, all

errors, and earthly desires,and seek after the true God, after
truth, and heavenly things. ^lassurius Sabinus saith : "That
is rehgious, which for some holiness' sake we put by and
severally set aside. The word 'religion'hath his name a
relin-
qitendo, as Ceremonial a cavemlo^." But M. Cicero supposeth
that Religio is so called a relegendo (of selectingor putting
because
apart), they that be religiousdo carefully choose all
[1 Si quid aliud est eorum

ergo qune Deus creavit, quiddam est
deterius, quiddam pai': deterius, ut anima pecoris; par, ut angeli:
melius autem nihil. Et si quando est aliquid horum melius, hoc pec-
cato fit,iion natura;
ejus quo tamen non usque adeo fit dcterior, ut ei
pecoris anima praiferenda aut conferenda sit. Deus igitur solus ei
Homo
colendus est, qui solus ejusest auctor. autem quilibet alius,
quanquam sapientissiraus et perfectissimus, vel prorsus qurelibet anima
rationis compos atque beatissima, amanda tantummodo et imitanda est,
eique pro merito atque ordine, quod ei congruit, deferendum. Nam

Dominum Deum tuum adorabis, et illisoli servies. August, ibid.] "
[2 Vol. ir. p. 125, note 4.]

[3 Massurius Sabinus, in commentariis quos do indigonis composuit,
Religiosum, imûit, est quod propter sanctitatem aliquam remotum ac
sepositum a
nobis est ; verbum a relinquendo dictum, tauquam crcrimo-
nire a carendo. Aul. " Gell. Noct. Att. Lib. iv. cap. 9. p. 2S0. Lugd.
Bat. 1700.]
v.] OF SERVING THE ONLY GOD. 231
things M^hich seem to belong to the service of the gods. But

he is confuted, in many words, of Lactantius Firmianus, an
ancient writer of the church, Lib. Instit. iv. cap. 28, where
"
among other things he saith: On this condition we are born,
that being born we might do to God justand due service,
that we should know him alone, and that him we should fol-
low.
"With this bond of godliness straitly bound
we are
and tied unto God ; whereupon religion itselftook her name."

And anon after :
"
We said that the name of religion was
derived from the bond of godliness,because God hath tied
and
bound man unto himself in godliness : for that it is needful
that we serve him
lord, and obey him as
as a a father ^"
Other ecclesiasticalwriters also following him, as Hierome
and Augustine, religion a derived

relir/ando, of tying or
binding. For Hierome in his commentary upon the ninth
chapter of Amos saith: "This bundle tied up with the religion
of the Lord, which is one. Religion therefore took her
name a
religando, of tying together, and binding into the
Lord's bundle ^" And Augustine in his book de Quantitate
Animce, chapter 36, saith: "True religion is, whereby the
soul tieth herself through reconciliation to one God, from
whom through sin she had as it were broken away^." The
same Augustine, in his book de Vera Religione, and last
chapter, saith: "Let religion tie us unto one God Almighty,
whereof it is beUeved to be named rehgion'''."
[4 Hac
conditione gignimur, ut generanti (Bullinger read, generati)
debita hunc
nosDeojusta et obsequia prajbeamus; solum noverimus;
hunc sequamur. Hoc vinculo pietatis obstricti Deo religati sumus;
undo ipsa religio nomen accepit : non, ut Cicero interpretatus est, a
relegendo ; qui in libro de natura deorum secundo (cap.28) dicit ita,

"c. "c. . . .
Diximus nomen religionis a vinculo pietatis esse deductum;
quod hominem sibi Deus religaverit, et pietate constrinxerit : quia ser-

vire nos ei, ut domino, et obsequi, ut patri, necesse est. " Lactant.
Instit. Lib. cap. iv.
28.]
[5 Iste fasciculus religione una Domini constrictus est. Unde et
ipsa religio a religando, et in fascem Domini vinciendo, nomen accepit.
" Hieron. Comment, in Amos. cap. 8. 0pp. Tom. ni. col. 1448. Par.
1693"1706.]
[s Est enim religio vera, qua se uni Deo anima, unde se peccato
velut abruperat, reconciliatione religat. " Aug. 0pp. Par. 1532. Tom. i.
fol. 131. col. 1.]
[7 See the quotation, Vol. I. p. 233, note 5. Aug. 0pp. Tom. i.
fol. 156, col. 3.]

"What true Wc therefore, that true rehgion is none

sav, other thing
religion is. /."ii" "!"" i "
/ ^ \ "
t -i
than a friendship,a knitting, and an unity (orleague) with the

true, hving, and everlasting God ; unto whom we being linked
by a faith do worship, call upon, and serve
true him alone ;
upon whom we do wholly depend, living in allthings according

to his will,or according to the prescript rule and law of his
word. Therefore most rightly is the whole matter of salvation

and faith comprised in this one word, religion: which elsewhere
is called in scripture a league or covenant, and elsewhere again,
marriage or wedlock. For as they which be confederate are
united and made one by a league ; so God and man are knit
together by religion : and as by marriage the husband and
the wife are made one body, so by religion we are knit into
a spiritualbody with God, as with our husband, and with the
very Son of God, as with our bridegroom and our head.
Hitherto therefore doth belong whatsoever things are uttered
in the scriptures touching the keeping of the league or cove-
nant,
and the faith of marriage. Truce-breakers are they,

disloyal, and infamous through their adultery, whosoever,
being not knit to one God by faith, worship him alone, call
upon him through Christ, and serve him also as he himself

hath said in his word he would be served.
The very same are also called superstitious. For super-
stition
is false religion,which doth not serve God but somewhat
else for God, or not God alone, or not rightly or lawfully.

This word superstition stretcheth itself even to old wives'
tales and doting errors : for in Dutch we call superstition,

aherglauhen, und mis-bruch. But Lactantius,
mis-glauhen,
reasoning most exactly of this word, in his fourth book of
Institutions, and twenty-eighth chapter, writeth in this
sort Religion is the service of the true God ; superstition,
:
"
of the false. They are said to be superstitious, not that

wish their children to outlive them, for that we do all wish;
but either they that reverence the memory remaining of
the dead ; or else they that, while their parents were alive,
worshipped their images within their houses, like household
gods. those which did take unto themselves new
For rites,
to the intent they might instead of gods lionour the dead,
whom they thought were taken from among men and received
into heaven ; those (I say)they called superstitious: but those
v.]
that worshipped and served public and ancient gods they
named religious. AV hereupon saith Virgil :
Vain superstition, ignorant
Of th' old and ancient gods.
But seeing we do find that ancients have been in sera-

our
blable manner consecrated gods after their death, they there-

fore
which serve many and false gods are superstitious. But
we are
religious,which pray and make our supplications to
one God, being the true God, "c.^"
Superstition consisteth chieflyin these to leave, or
points; either when
the Lord is not served, but other gods in his stead, the only
true, and living God
^^d
toTene
one, being left and forsaken; or else """^'^ ^"'*'-
when the Lord is served, but not alone, but other together
with him ; or
else when he is served, but not
with his lawful
service.
In the first kind of superstition did the Gentiles in a
2
manner offend, who knew not the true God ; insomuch that
they, instead of the true God, worshipped false, feigned, or
strange gods. And that the Israelitesalso, God's people, were
sick of the same madness, the holy prophet Jeremy is a witness;
who, expostulating and reasoning the matter with the people,
saith : "Hear ye the word of the Lord, 0 house of Jacob, and J^r. a.
all the families of the house of Israel. Thus saith the Lord,
What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are
gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are
become vain ? For they said not, "Where is the Lord that
3
brought us out of the land of Egypt ; that led us through the
wilderness, through a desert and waste land, through a dry
[1 Superstitiosi vocantur, non qui filiossuos superstites optant (om-

nes enim
optamus), sed aut ii,qui superstitem memoriam defunctorum
"colunt; aut qui parentibus suis superstites colebant imagines eorum

domi tanquam deos penates. Nam qui novos sibi ritus assumebant, ut
deorum vice mortuos honorarent, quos ex hominibus in
coelum receptos
putabant, hos superstitiosos vocabant ; eos vero, qui publicos et anti-
quos deos colerent, religiosos nominabant. Unde Virgilius:
Vana superstitio, veterumque ignara deorum.
Sed cum veteres quoque deos inveniamus eodem modo consecrates
esse post obitum, superstitiosi ergo qui multos ac falsos debs colunt :
nos autem religiosi,qui uni et vero Deo supplicamus. " Lactant. Instit.
Lib. IV. cap. 28. p. 445. Lugd. Bat. 1660.]
[2 fere, Lat. ; generally.]
[3 brought us up out, ed. 1577.]
land, and by the shadow of death, by a land that no man
passed through, and where no man dwelt? And I brought
you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the
commodities of the same : but when ye entered, ye defiled my
land, and made mine heritage an abomination. The priests
said not. Where is the Lord ? and they that should minister
the law, knew me not : the pastors also offended against me ;
and the prophets prophesied in Baal, and went after things that
did not profit (or followed idols). Wherefore I will yet plead
with you, saith the Lord ; and I will plead with your children's
children. go ye to the isles of Chittim, and behold ; and
For
send unto Kedar, and take diligent heed; and see whether
there be such things. Hath any nation changed their gods,
"which yet are no gods ? But my people have changed their
glory for that which doth not profit (orfor an idol). O ye

heavens, be astonied at this ; be afraid, and utterly confounded,
saith the Lord. For my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, to dig

them pits, even broken pits, that can hold no water." Thou
dost hear that the people of Israel by an heinous offence, and
for the which no amends might be made, forsook God, the
lively spring, and digged unto themselves broken pits. The
waters do signify the perfit good, wherewith the desire both of
the soul and the body may be satisfied. Such a plentifulspring
is God alone, the highest, excellentest, and perfittest good.
This being forsaken, they digged, that is,with very great
pains and costs they provided for themselves, pits ; that is,
they turned themselves to creatures, to them that are no gods,
neither yet are
able to satisfy their desires. This mischief
even at this day also is common ; whiles many, having forsaken
God, are turned unto celestialsaints,of whom they desire that
which was to be desired of God, neither can be given but of

God alone.
Here hath idolatry a place, that is, the worshipping of
images. For they
not only^ are
superstitious, which feign
unto themselves false gods, having forsaken the true God;
or that put their trust in things of nothing : but they also
which worship and reverence the images either of God, or
of
For images ^
are also superstitious. or counterfeits are
gods,
set up either to the true God himself, or else to false gods, to
[1 not they only, ed. 1577.] [2 simulacra, Lat]
v.]
creatures (I say) themselves. it is not lawful by any

But
image or counterfeit to represent the exceeding great, ever-
lasting,
and living God world without end. Neither is it
lawful to worship or serve him being expressed by an image
or likeness : much less therefore is it lawful to consecrate unto
creatures images counterfeits,to worship and serve
or them.
There are very many testimonies of scripture extant against
idolatry ; as in Exodus xx. Esay xl. xliv. Psalm cxv. 1 Co-
rinthians
vi. x. Komans i. Galatians v. 1 Thessalonians i.
1 Peter iv. 1 John v. Jeremy x. "c. Furthermore, I do
here diligently admonish the simpler sort, that they suffer not
themselves to be deceived. For none can avoid the name of
an idolater,that doth worship, reverence, and fear images ;
that putteth some part of his confidence in them ; that lieth
along before them; that offereththem gifts;that keepeth them
in a place of solemnity and honour ; that sticketh
up tapers
and burnetii incense unto them ; that loveth, beautifieth,main-
taineth, enricheth, and serveth them with any kind of sacrifice
or holy service whatsoever. But concerning idolatry we have
spoken very largely elsewhere ^

Furthermore, they served (who doubts it?) the God ofNottowor-
Till- 11 '11 ship God ^
Israel ; howbeit not alone, but with the true God other gods ^'"""^' "?"'
to worship o
read in the history of the kings : And

"
also,of whom we
"the Lord:
auo"o|"eth
yet they served," (orfeared) and they appointed tn'eGod.
^ ^'"^' '"'"'
out priests (even of the basest)unto themselves for the
high places, who prepared for them sacrificesin the houses
of the high places. And when they served the Lord, they
served their own gods also, after the manner of the nations
from whence they were brought into Samaria." And again :
"
So these nations feared the Lord, and served their images
also ; so did their children, and their children's children : as
did their fathers, so do they unto this day." This mischief,
in like manner, is altogether common at this day. For a
man may find worshippers and servers of God who will at
no hand be persuaded that God alone is to be served, yea,
boldly affirming that it is flat and damnable heresy to deny
that together with God saints are both to be worshipped,
called upon, and served. Against whom we have elsewhere'',
and in this our present sermon also, sufficientlydisputed.
Here likewise cometli next to hand to be the
marked
[3 Decade ii. Serm. 2.] ["*Bulling, de Orig. Error. Lib.
i.]
236 THE rOURTH DECADE. [SERJU.
diverse manner and sundry fashion of serving God super-

stitiouslj. For neither doth he only and alone serve God
who indeed firstfeigneth or imagineth in his
superstitiously,
mind a God, and then afterwards expresseth the same God
by an image or counterfeit, whereunto by and by upon that
he offereth sacrificesand incense,and, lying prostrate upon
the ground, worshippeth in presence of the same, and suppli-
antly serveth it with all reverence : but he principallyserveth
God superstitiously, who doth communicate the incommuni-
Thepro- cablc propcrticsof God to creatures, albeit he express God
"odlre
in by no representation, likeness, or counterfeit; or he which
no C3SG to \}C
attributed thinlvcththat the gifts,which he hath received from heaven
unto strange .
e*^-
at the hands of God, are given and bestowed upon him of
celestialsaints. Furthermore, the incommunicable properties
of God are, able to do all things,to know all things,to be
present in every place, to hear all things,to help, succour,
to be loving,bountiful,
or assist, just,righteous,and merciful.
isai.xii.xiii. Verily,Esay, the best learned
of the prophets and of singular
authority,proveth and convinceth by these most strong and
substantialarguments or reasons, that the gods of the Baby-
lonians
and Gentiles are no gods :
"
Because they cannot
foretelor know things that are to come hereafter,neither
yet can do good or evil." Wherefore, able to enrich and

store with all manner of benefits,and to chastisewith due
deserved punishments ; so also to know all things,and to be
of power to compass and do all things; they are the properties
of God alone, communicable to no creature. He there-
fore
is superstitious, which attributeth these properties to
celestialsaints,and for that cause doth serve and call upon
God's gifts them. Osee the prophet doth very sore inveigh against the
attributed to Jcws, who offavo and attributed to strano-e gods the gifts of
' o a o
strange gods.
Hoseaii. God, iusomuch that he nameth the synagogue of such a
strumpet or harlot. "I will have no pity" (saith he)"upon
her children: for they be the children of fornications. For
their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived
them hath done shamefully. For she said, I will go after
my lovers,that give me ray bread and my water, my wool
and my flax, mine oil and my drink." And anon after:
"
Now she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine,
and oil and multiplied"
; (or gave her her
"
silverand
much)
gold, which they bestowed even upon Baal." And it is a
I
V.J
thing much used at this day, to ascribe unto celestialsaints,

and not to the only God, the increase of the earth, and tlie
temperate or sharp seasons of the year, as thougli they came
from them. But that is superstition,not godliness or re-
ligion.
Furthermore, is superstitiouslyserved, when indeed to serve go"i,

God
"."' '""''
he is served alone, howbeit not after a lawful manner. Un- fu/i
lawful service proceedeth from the will and imagination of
men and it is contrary to the word and ordinance of God.
;
For God is then lawfully served, when he is served according
to his own will and word. In the law thus hath the Lord
commanded: "Beware that thou seek not after the gods ofceut-xii.
the Gentiles, saying, How did these nations serve their gods,
that I may do so likewise ? Thou shalt not do so unto the
Lord thy God, "c. (Therefore) whatsoever I command you,
take heed you do it : thou shalt put nothing thereto, nor take
Nadab and Abihu offer strange fire
ought therefrom." unto Levit. x.
the Lord : therefore are they burned up in the presence of

the Lord with firefrom heaven. Oza also perished, because [2sam.vi.]
he handled the ark of God otherwise than the Lord had
commanded in his law. Micha, in the book of Judges, insti-judges xvii.
tuted unto the true God, whose name is Jehovah, an image,

an altar, a chapel, and a service : but it is reproved in the
sacred scripture, because it was not only not fetched out of
the holy scripture,but was in all respects quite contrary and
utterly against the law of God. Jeroboam also ordained , Kings xn.
"'""
passing sumptuous institutedcathedral churches,
service ; he
and set up golden images, all to the God of Israel : but for
that they were not agreeable to the word of the Lord, they
are all, one with another, utterly condemned for execrable
and accursed sacrileges. Yea, what we may think in general

of all the services which are neither instituted of God, nor
agreeing with the word of God, but feigned upon a good
intent and meaning of our own, that only testimony of the
most excellentprophet Samuel doth declare to us, which he
in these words :
pronounced against Saul and his sacrifices
"
Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt-offeringsand sa- 1 sam. xv.
as when
crifices, the voice of the Lord is obeyed? Behold,
to obey is better than sacrifice,and to hearken (isbetter)
than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witch-
craft,
and transgression is wickedness and idolatry." Here-
238 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM,
read in Esay : He that killcth

"
Isai. Ixvi. unto maketh that -which we
a hullock is ; he that sacrificetha sheep,

as if he slew
a man
as if he cut off a dog's neck ; he that offereth an oblation,

as if he offered swine's blood ; he that remembereth incense,
as if he blessed an idol. All these things have
they chosen
in their own ways, and their soul is delighted in their own
abominations." Vain therefore and abominable are those
services which are not reduced and framed to the pure word
of God : for the same prophet saith, In vain do they serve
"
Isai. xxix.
Matt. XV.
me, teaching doctrines of men."
living,true, and everlastingGod, who will and ought
The
only and alone to be worshipped, to be called upon, and to

be served, give unto all men true religion,and deliver them
from all vain superstition,through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. A. F.
THAT THE SON OF GOD IS UNSPEAKABLY BEGOTTEN

OF THE FATHER ; THAT HE IS CONSUBSTANTIAL WITH
THE FATHER, AND THEREFORE TRUE GOD. THAT
THE SELFSAME SON IS TRUE MAN; STANTIAL
CONSUB-
WITH US: AND THEREFORE
TRUE GOD AND MAN, ABIDING IN
TWO UNCONFOUNDED NATURES,
AND IN ONE UNDIVIDED
PERSON.
THE SIXTH SERMON.

The things themselves and their order do require, that
after I have spoken generally of God, of his unity, and of
his trinity,I further entreat particularly of the persons of
the reverend Trinity ; and first of all, of our Lord Jesus
Christ, true God
and man ; then of the Holy Ghost : with
where-
if our minds be endued, all things whatsoever we speak
and hear shall tend to the glory of God's name, and to the
salvation of our souls. Let us therefore pray, "c.
The Son is The
everlasting Father, the original and author of all
begotten
of the things, begot the Son by an everlasting and unspeakable
Father, un-
speakably,
begetting. For the whole sci'ipturewith one agreement doth
from ever-
iaiting.
call God a Father, yea truly, an eternal or everlasting Fa-
ther.
But none is a father of his own self, but a father
OF CHRIST TRUE AND VERY GOD. 239
VI.]
he is the everlasting Father, he
of liis son : and for because
must therefore necessarily have an everlasting Son, equal
unto himself in all respects, co-eternal, and consubstantial
St Paul undoubtedly for the confirmation of
"yyith him.
this catholic verity allegeth out of the old Testament two
Tvhich," saith he, of his angels said

"
testimonies. "Unto [Heb. i. s.]
God at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten
thee ?" and
"
I -willbe his Father, and he shall be
again,
my Son :" all which words he applieth unto Christ Jesus,
the Son of God. Of whom also Micheas beareth witness,
And thou, Bethlehem Ephrata, art little to be Micah
"
: v.
saying
among the of Judah ; yet out of thee shall he
thousands
come forth unto me, that shall be the ruler in Israel : whose
"
have been from the
goings forth" (or spreadings abroad)^
beginning and from everlasting." Whereupon the Son of
God after John, saith: "Yerily I say johnviii.
himself, in the Gospel
unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." And John saith :
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
"
was with john i.
God, and God was the Word." But he doth understand by
"
The Word," the word which is spoken and so vanisheth,
not
not the counsel of God, but the person of the Son. For by
and by he addeth,
"
And the Word became" (or was
made)
"flesh." And we do know that the Son of God, not the
determination" purpose of God (asheretics do vainly ima-
or gine),
was incarnate. But he which in time was incarnate was
with the Father from everlasting and before all beginnings, and
therefore also true God with the true God. For, "The Word,"
saith he, was with God, and God was

"
the Wôrd :" because
in the beginning, namely, from everlasting,he was with God.
These simple and plain testimonies, delivered unto us
out of the scriptures, and concerningtherefore most true,
the everlasting begetting of. the Son by the Father, are suffi-
cient,
I think, for them that are not curious. For the scrip-
ture
doth not here fulfiP the vain desires of curious men,
neither yet reasoneth of these points subtilly; but rather

delivereth and setteth down but a few things, in which it is
our parts to believe. But that which the scripture either
doth not set down, or else in few words shadoweth out,
either we are ignorant of to our health, or else, sticking
[1 emanationes, Lat.] [2 cogitationem, Lat.]

[3 non explet, Lat.]
to that that is set down, we seek not further for more.

The holy father Cjril, expounding that saying of the evan-
gehst John, "In the beginning was the Word," saith : "Let
us not, seeking things infinite and which cannot be con-
tained
within bounds, busy our brains about a consideration
that cannot be expressed, and never can have an end. For
neither will we grant a beginning of beginning, neither yet
will yield that the Son was
we begotten of the Father in
time : but we will confess that he is with the Father from
everlasting. For if he was in the beginning, what mind may

be able at any time to climb beyond that was ? Or when
shall we so
comprehend in our mind that was, that it go
not before or outreach our thoughts?
good reasons Upon
therefore and worthily the prophet being Esay,
astonished,
" Or age, as
cricth out, 'And wlio shall dcclare his generation*?' For
'-'
other trans- , , _ _
late it. }ie^passing all capacity of minds, and being far above and
beyond all reason of man, is unspeakable." And anon after
he saith : Because the Son is before all worlds, he cannot be
"
begotten in time : but he is evermore in the Father as in a

fountain ; as he saith of himself, I went out and came
'
from
the Father.' For we do understand the Father as a foun-
tain,
in whom the Word is his wisdom, his power, the engraven
form of his person, his brightness, and his image. fore,
Where-
if there never were any time wherein the Father was
without his wisdom, his power, the engraven form of his
person, his brightness, and finallyhis image ; we must of ne-

cessity
and force confess, that the Son also is co-eternal and
everlasting with him, since he is the wisdom, power, "c. of
the Father everlasting. For how is he the engraven form
of his Father's person, or how is he the most perfect image

of his Father, unless he have perfectly obtained and possess
the beauty of him, whose image he is ? And it is not ab-
surd
that we said, the Son is to be understood in the Father
as in a fountain. For the name of fountain doth signify no-
thing
else than as from whom : and the Son is in the Father
and from the Father ; not flowing abroad, but either as

brightness from the sun, or as heat from the fire wherewith
it is endued. For in these examples we see one from one
to be brought forth, and both to be so co-everlasting, that
the one neither be without the other, nor
can yet keep and
retain the quality of their nature. For how shall it be the
OF CIiniST TRUE AND VERY GOD. 241
VI.]
sun, if it be deprived of his brightness ; or how shall bright-

ness
be, unless there be a sun from whence it doth come ?
And how shall that be fire that wanteth heat ? or from
whence should heat else from come but from the fire, or
somewhat else pcradventure not far distant from the sub-

stantial
quality of fire? As therefore the qualities which
proceed from these bodies are together with them from
whence they do proceed, and evermore declare from whence

they do come ; so is it to be understood in the only-begotten.
For he is understood to be of the Father, but he is believed
to be hkewise in the Father
the nature : not difi"eringfrom
of his Father, neither yet next his Father second in nature :

but always in the Father himself, and with him, and from
him, according to the manner of his unspeakable begetting ^"
[} OvKOVv i'aTai, Kara

apXH i'-^vap)(?]i ol" tov
aKpi^Tjre Koi akrjBrj
Xoytcr/ioi',aXX' els afxijpvrop p-ivroi kol aKaTaXrjnrov 6 Trepl avrfjsaTTodrj-
firiaeL Xdyoy. 8e ovk to avomv koi to
Ttkos "j(ovcr7]sTijsael npos cfivyfjs,
rav dva"poiT(car]s
peTpov, ovk iv xpova yeyovas a'ibicos8e paXXov
alavcou
ev 8e rjv ev
vnapxcdv ptra narpos t}v yap
tvped^creraf opxfj'et apxfit ivolos,
flrrepoi, SvirqafTat povs Triv tov HN vTrepavi(TTaa-6cubvvapiv ; nore 8e
'HN tov Sicokovtos
oXar TO cos "V
reXet crrqafTai, TrpoavarpexovTos ae\
\oyiapov KoX rfjseTTop,evris avTco 7rpoavaTTr)8u"vtvvoias ; fni tovtco Si)apa
'Hcratay,
KaraTreTrXrjypevos 6 (f)r]a\v
7rpo(f)^Tr]s
Ttjv yeveav avTov
ris Sirjy^-
dno
aerai ; on
mpeTai ttjsyrjsrj ^cotj
avrov.
aipeTai. yap ovtu"s otto
ttjs
Xdyo?
yfjs6 TTfpl rrjsyevvrjaeas tov tovt eaTiv, nacav
povoyevovs' virep
icTTL diavoiav rav ovtuv iirl vnep iravTa \6yov, coj tivat,Xonrov
Trjsyrjs,Ka\
(TreihrjTvepKa\ eVrt alavcov npea-^vTepos avrcov rcov 6 vlos,
aveîjyrjrov
TO piv iv xp^v*^ yeyevTjcrdai 8ia"pev^fTai,- rjp 8e Kal 8ia TravTos cos ev
TrTjyjj
Kara to avTov \e\eypevou, Eyo) "ac tov
TW
n
7TaTp\,
-
Trap
-
narpos
'
e^rfkdov/cat ~ \ f r \, , "" "" ~
I I \
TOiyapovv
rjKco, TVTjyrjs voovpevov tov
jrarpos, ijvo Aoyos fv avrca /cat
crocpia,
8vvapis, Ka\ ;(apa/cTi7p, Kal oTravyacr/xa, /cat et/ccov
virapxcov avTov, /cat ei
rjv ovSeiy, ore Xcjyov X^P*-^ "'''' /cat

x"^P^'^'^VP"^ ''"' ciTravyd-
Xpovos CTO(f)ias
6 tov os
vparos rjv Tvarrjp,avayKrj (rvvopoXoyelv atStov inrapxeiv vlov, raiiTa
ecrri tco
ai8iconarpi. ttcos yap "''^f ^^ elKcov aKpi^f]s,
oXios earl x'^P^-'^'^pi
to ov kol (cttiv hkcuv
(I
pri 77pos eKelvo opaTai
ptpopcpcopevos koKKos, ; aSt-
8e
KijcTfi oXcos ov8ev
to cos
Trrjyrj iv ro) Trarpt tov
vlov vTvapxeiv ivvoiiv
i^ ov to iv crr]paivei.eart 8e 6 vlos
fjLOVOV yap to
ttJsTrr^y^s tovtois ovopa
iv TOTpl iv Xpo*'? iv
/cat e/c
nuTpos, ovk
rj
i^codev, yeyovc^s, aXX' t[]tov
TTOTpos VTrapxc""v ovcria, i^ avTTJsavaXajiiâs,
/cat coanep e^ rjXiov tvxov to
avTov, fj Kaddnep eK TTVpos avTov BeppoT-qs. iv yap
airavyaa-pa jjepc^vTos
Tols ToiovTois iv pev i^ evos yevvcopfvov evecrTiv tSfTv, tiei5'
"jTapa8eiypa"jiv
ovv opcos cTvwnapxov /cat dxcoplcTTcosnpocrov, cos 8ixci tov STepov pij eivai
8vvaa6ai Ka6' eavro to
erepov, /cat 8iaacoêiv
aXrjdJ] tov ttjS olKeias cpvaecos
Xoyov. TTCOS yap oXcos fjXios
ovk tx'^'^ dnavyacrpa, t] Tras diravyacrpa
pi)
[bullinger,
iii.j
Thus far Cyril. And

these points surely concerning the
Father, and the unspeakable begetting of the Son of God,
are stedfastlyto be believed according to the scriptures.
A confession Furthermore, touching the Son of God, let us firmly hold
Jesus Christ
aud undoubtedlv believe, that he is consubstantial (or,of the
the Son of .
, i "
-n i j p r^
"odôursame substance) with his Father, and therefore true God :

that the selfsame Son, being incarnate for us and made man,
subsisteth in either nature, as well of God, as also of man;
howbeit so that these natures are neither confounded between
themselves, nor
yet divided : for we do believe one and the
selfsame our Lord Jesus Christ to be true God and true
man. All and every points throughout their

one of which
parts we will plainly, and according to the measure of grace
that God shall give us, declare unto you.
That the Son About the word homoousius, which the Latinists agree-
stantiaiwith
ablv^ have translated consuhstantiale, consubstantial, the
the Father. "^
. . ,
ecclesiasticalhistory doth testify that there hath been long

and much altercation among the ancient writers. What it
signifieth,and how it was taken of that most famous and

solemn synod of Nice, the most learned and godly Eusebius
Pamphili, bishop of Ca3sarea, briefly and pithily expounded in
this sort : "In that the Son is said to be consubstantial with
the Father, it hath an express signification, for because the
Son of God hath no similitude or likeness with creatures that
were made, but is resembled and likened to the Father alone
who begat him ; neither is he of any other substance, essence,
or being- than of the Father." And the same Eusebius anon
after saith : Unto which sentence and opinion, in this manner
"
expounded, it appeareth we may well subscribe ; seeing we do

know that the best learned and famous bishops and interpret-
ers
among those that were ancient, reasoning of the Godhead
ovTos rov
aiiTo; TTa"s he Kol Trip, el to Oepfialveivova
rfkiov aivavyaôvTos
e'Xî; TTodeu 8e to depfxov, el fXTj (k Trvpos, rj rrapa Tivbs erepov TrjsTov
TTVpos ov(ria"Bovsttolottjtos ov
fiaKpav ttov Keifievov ; uxrivep ovv iv tovtois
TO
fyvTrapêw to. avroiV ovk dvaipel del Se crvvrpeôvTa
e^ Ttjvcrvvvrrapîv,
Tols yevvuxTi 8eiKvvei tcl yevvaiieva, nai fiiav cos npos avra ttjv K\r]-
(pvcriv
pcocrdp-eva' ovtco koi
yap Kav iv Trarpl Koi e'/c irarpos vorjTai Ka\
e(f"viov.
\eyTjTai, ovk ^fjuv êvos *] cos avTov bevrepos
"K(pvXos Ka\ fier elcT^rjcreTai.,
aX)C cov iv avTco, Koi crvvvnapx^v del, Kol i^ avTov Kara rov
7re(f"r]va)s,
appr]Tov deias yevvfja-ecosTponov, "
Cyril. 0pp. Lib. I. in Joann.
TTJs
Tom. IV, pp. 11, 2. Lutet. 1638.]
\} concorditer, Lat.]
VI.l OF CHRIST TRUE AND VERY GOD. 243
of the Father and the Son, used this word homoousius." These
be Socrates his words in the first book of histories and the
2.
eighth chapter Surely the godly governors of churches,
being constrained by the hypocrisy, craftiness,and malice of
heretics, did themselves use, and caused others also to use,
words most pithy and as little doubtful as might be, whereby

partly they might manifestly express the sound truth, and
partly discover and reprove, yea, and also thrust out, the
deceits and malicious practices of heretics. Arius confessed
that the of God was
Son God ; but in the meanwhile he
denied that the Son was consubstantial with his Father :
wherefore he declared that he did not sincerely confess the
true Godhead of the Son. Neither makes it any great matter,
though there be not expressed in the holy scripture some apt
and fit word to set out and declare the thing in so many
letters as it is written in another tongue, so that that be read
to be manifestly expressed in the scriptures, which by the word
is signified.Wherefore, if we
shew that the Son is of the same
substance or nature with the Father, and so equal with and
like unto God, and one with him ; we have then made suflftcient
and plentiful demonstration, that the Son is homoousius, or
consubstantial with the Father. The prophet Zachary, bring-

ing
in the person of God speaking, sayeth : "
Arise, O thou ^zech.
xui.
'
sword, upon my shepherd, and upon the man that is my

fellow (ormy the shepherd, and the sheep (of
: smite
co-equal)
the flock)shall be scattered abroad." Lo, God calleth the
shepherd, that is smitten, his fellow or co-equal. And who is

that shepherd that was smitten, the history of the gospel doth
declare ; pointing out unto us the very Son of God himself, our
Lord Jesus Christ. Neither doth it hinder but further our
cause, that Hierome
readeth not,
"
The man that is co-equal
with me ;" but, The man
"
cleaving unto me." For as he
denieth not that Amith doth signify co-equal, so he setteth
down another word no less effectual. For when he translat-
[2 HapacrraTiKov Se fivai rw irarpi to S/xooiKriov,to

fMT]8efj.iav
eficpepeiav
irpos TO
yevvTjTO. KTicrfiaTa top
vlov tov ifxcâivetv
Qeov povco 8e rw naTpl
Tw
yfyevvTjKori KaTO. iravTa Tponov Koi fxr) fivai i^ irepas T"
dcfiaipoiaxrdai,
VTTocrTao'fCLis
Koi ovcrias, e'/c tov Sli kcu avTw tovtov
aW iraTpos. epp.T]V"V-
oeirri TOV twv kol
TpoTTov, KoKuis f'x*^"'fâ"'/ (TvyKaTaBicrBai- eVei Trakaiuv
Tivas 'Koy'iovs kol irrKpavelsemcTKOTrovs Kui iwi
crvyypatpeastyva"p.ev ttjs tov
irarpos Kai viov deoXoyias Ta tov

avyxp^crapevovs
ofxaovaiov ovofxaTC.
'" Socrates, Hist. Eccles. Lib. i, cap. 8. p. 25. ed. Reading.]
16"2
244 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SEUM.
eth it, The man he would express the

"
cleaving unto me,"
inward and very substantial(thatI may so term it)inherence
or
co-equality of the Father and the Son. For he addeth in
his commentaries : "
And the man
which cleaveth unto God,
who is it but even he that saith, I am '
in the Father, and
the Father in mci?'"
rjohnv. Again wc read in the gospel of John: "The Jews there-
fore
sought to kill Jesus, not only because he had broken
the sabbath-day, (dWd Kal ira-epa 'ioioveXeye tov Geoi/,)
but said also that God was his Father, (even his proper,
or
very own making himself iîaov)
:) equal to God." thermore
Fur-
^
the Grecians expound '/cro?, that is to say, equal,
by this word, ofxoio^, that is to say, like. Neither can that
equality anywhere else have place than in the substance.

For the Jews
understand that whereof the Arians will be
ignorant, that the Lord after a certain peculiar and special
manner calleth^ God his Father ; to wit, "iîov, his proper
or
very own Father, by nature or by birth, of whom the Son
being naturally begotten is natural and consubstantial with
his Father. For it followeth :
"
JMaking himself equal to (or
with) God," namely in virtue or power, in everlastingness,

and essence.
sayeth in the same
For the same Lord evan-
fJohn viii.
gelist: I "
proceeded and came from God." He did not say
only,
"
I came," but, "
I proceeded." He proceeded from the
Father such a one in substance as the Father is,surely "Light
of light, very God of very God." For he sayeth again to

the Jews Verily I say unto you. Before Abraham
:
"
was, I
am." He doth not say, "
I have been," or, I will be;" but, "
"
I am ;" alluding to the name of the Lord Jehovah, and
declaring that the substance of his Godhead is the very same
with the substance of the Father, and that he is fore there-
consubstantial with the Father. For yet again he sayeth
[John X. 30.] more plainly: "I and the Father are one:" one, I say, not
*i(ientitateet in coucord or agreement, '
but in *
selfsameness and beino;: for
essentia. "3 o -
\} Super virum cohserentem mihi. . .

quod
.
Pro eo
vertimus, nos
super virum colioerentem mihi, fioi, Aquila

id est, 7rpo(rK"Ko\\T]jj.evov
interpretatus est, super virum contribulem meura, id est, fj.ov:
"xvfj.(f)v\6v
Symmachus, super virum populi mei, quod Hobraice dicitur Amithi.
"
Jerome proceeds to explain vir coliajrens Deo," by John xiv. 10, and
Luke xxiii. 46. "
Ilieron, 0pp. Tom. in. p. 1789. Par. 1704.]
[2 cajterum, Lat. ; now.]
[3 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577 called ; appellasse, Lat.]
VI.]
handled.
in that place the power and
majestyof God arc
And "when the Jews would without further stay stone the
Lord to death, having spoken these words, they declared
plainly enough after what sort they understood his words :
for they stoned blasphemers to death, who with revilings
either impaired God's glory, or else usurped and took the
same unto themselves.
belongeth that which Paul speaketh concerning
Hitherto
the Son of God, saying : Who is the imago of the invisible[coi i. is
"
]
God, the first-born of all creatures, because all things were

created by him." For if he be the image of the invisibleGod,
he must with God.
needs be fellow (or co-equal) For in an-
other
place Paul calleth the same Christ, "the engraven [Hcb.i. a]
form of God, and his express image," and answerable in all
respects most truly to his pattern or firstfigure. An image
verily and likeness is of things that are not unequal or unlike,
but of things equal and like. And he is called the first- born," "
because he is Prince and Lord^ not that he isreckoned
among creatures. For all things that were made, by him

they were made : therefore he is no creature, but true God, to
wit, of the nature and substance of God, one with the Father.
The same apostle saith to the Philippians, that the Son is
"
in the form (orshape)of God." But to be in the form (or
is nothing else than in all respects to be fellow
of God
shape)
(orequal)with God, to be consubstantial with him, and so
indeed God himself. For what it is to be in the form or
shape of God, is by the contrary clause very manifestly de-

clared.
For it folioweth : "
He took upon him the form of a (;phii.
u.
servant." Which is again expounded by that which follow-

Beingin the likeness of men ;" that is to say,
"
eth : made
being made very man, unlike in nothing to all other men,
sin excepted ; which in another place is plainly expressed. [Heb. iv. is.]
And here he addeth again ; " And found in figure as a man."
Therefore, to be in the form of God is to be co-equal and con-
substantial with God : for he addeth, He thought it no "
robbery to be equal with God." For robbery is the taking
away of that which another doth owe ; for it is possessed by

injury.The Son therefore is co-equal with the Father, and
true God by nature and after the most proper manner. And
this is the meaning; of St Paul his words : Albeit the Son were
[4 See Vol. II. p. 130.]
of the same glory and majestywith the Father, and could

have remained in his glory without humiliation or debase-
ment
; yet had he rather abase himself, that is to say, take
unto him the nature of a man, and cast himself into dangers,
yea, even into death itself. For otherwise according to his
Godhead he suffered no change ; for God is unchangeable,
and without variableness.
Since the case so
standeth, saying of St godly is the
Ambrose in his book de Fide against the Arians, and fifth
chapter : Seeing therefore thou dost know

"
this unity of sub-
stance
in the Father and the Son, not only by the authority
of the prophets, but gospel; how

also of the sayest thou
that Homoousius, consubstantial, is not found in the sacred
scriptures ? as though Homoousius were somewhat else than
that he saith,
'
I went out from God the Father
and, ;'
'I and the Father one^?'" "c.
are The scholar, St Augus-
tine,
following his master, Ambrose, in his controversy had
with Pascentius
confirmeth Homoousius by places of scrip-
ture,
and declareth that this is holily used in our faith and
religion^. The same doth he also in his third book against
Maximinus, bishop of the Arians, and fourteenth chapter^.
But what needeth heaping up of more words ? For I trust
it is plainly enough declared by evident places of holy
scripture, that the Son is consubstantial with the Father, and

that so it must be believed. We hope also that in the trea-
tise
following this selfsame point shall not a little be made
manifest by testimonies of scriptures.

\} Cum ergo lianc unitatem substantia) in Patre et Filio non solum
proplietica sed et evangelica auctoritato cognoscas ; quomodo dicis in
scripturis divinis ofioovaiop non inveniri, quasi aliud sit ofioovtriov quam
quod dicit. Ego de Patre exivi; et. Ego et Pater unum

sumus? De "
Fide Orthodoxa cont. Arrian. cap. 5. Ambros. 0pp. Tom. ii. Append,
col. 352. Par. 16S6 "

90. The Benedictines consider this not to be
a work of Ambrose. See also James on Corrupt, of Script. "c. p. 31.
ed. 1843.]
[2 Homoousion, quod in auctoritate divinorum librorum cogebamur
ostendere, etiam si vocabulum ipsum ibi non inveniamus, fieri posse ut
illud inveniamus, cui hoc vocabulum recte adhibitum judicetur. Aug. "
Pascent. Ep. 173. 0pp. Par. 1532. Vol. n. fol. 150.col. 3.]
[3 Hoc et illud homoousion,
quod in concilio Niceno advcrsus
hajreticos Arianos catholicis Patribus veritatis auctoritate
a et aucto-
ritatis veritate formatum est. Quid est, inquam,

. .
homoousion
. nisi,
Ego et Pater unum sumus? "
Id. Vol. vi. fol. 151. col. 1.]
VI.] OF CHRIST TRUE AM) VERY GOD. 247
Arius with his compUces denied that the Son of God, our That the son
Lord Jesus Christ, is true God. But the most true scripture tmeand
very God. "^ .
doth so evidently prove and confirm it, that none which

loveth the truth from his heart can
anything at all doubt
thereof. We will presently'*cite some testimonies and argu-
ments
that are most plain and apparent, whereby, through the
assistance of the Holy Ghost, our faith may be established,
and the catholic and sound truth itselfmade manifest.

In the third chapter of Matthew, the heavens are opened
to our Lord as he was baptized by John Baptist, and the
Holy Ghost in the lilceness
came downof a dove, and alighted
upon the head of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and forthwith was
a voice heard out of the clouds, pronounced by the glorious
God in this sort : "
This is my beloved Son, in whom my
soul is well pleased." And John saith in his gospel^: "IrJohm.
saw the Spirit descending in the likeness of a
from heaven
dove, and it abode upon him ; and I knew him not, but he
that sent me to baptize with water, he said unto me. Upon
whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding upon
him, this is he which doth baptize with the Holy Ghost.
And I saw and bare witness that this is the Son of God."
Hereunto belongeth that which Peter, being asked of the
Lord, But whom
"
do ye say that I am ?" answered in the Matt. xn.
name of all the disciples;

"
Thou art that Christ, the Son
of the living God." And again, the Lord this,
objecting
"
Will you also be gone ?" Peter again made answer in the
Lord, unto whom shall we go ? Thou
"
name of them all; John vi.
hast the words of everlasting life. And we believe and have

known, that thou art Christ, the Son of the living God."
We also verily are called the sons of God, howbeit by adop-
"
Christ is the
natural son
...
tion: but Christ not by adoption, neither by imputation, but of ^ô'^-
by nature. For in the fourteenth chapter of Mark the high
priest saith unto our Lord :

"
Art thou Christ, the Son of the
blessed ?" In Matthew also the same high priest saith : " I âle":^''
God, that thou tell
adjure"(or charge) thee by the living
"
us whether thou be^ the Son of the living God. Jesus an-
swered,
I am. For ye shall see the Son of man sitting at
the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of hea-
[^ in prsesenti, Lat.]
[5 Et Joannes Baptista apud Joannem Evangelistam, Lat.]
[6 Christus, Lat. omitted.]
248 THE FOURTH decade. [serm.
ven." appoarcth to be repeated out of the seventh

Which
chapter of Daniel. Furthermore, they bring this confession

of the Lord before Pilate as blasphemous, and not to be
satisfied but with death, crying :
"
We have a law, and ac-
cording
law he ought to die ; because he made himself
to our
the Son of God." But they themselves in the history of

the gospel thunder out these words against the Lord :
"
We
are not born of fornication ; we have one Father, even God."
It is certain therefore, that the Jews accused our Saviour
for none other cause of high treason committed against God's
than for that he named himself the natural, not
majesty,
the adopted, Son of God ; for the first did not deserve
death, but the last was worthy of deaths For we read
also in the fifth of John : Therefore the Jews "
sought the
more to kill him", not only because he had broken the
sabbath-day, but also for that he said that God was his Fa-
ther,
making himself equal with God," (orGod's fellow.)

Lo, thou hast the manner how he
called himself the Son
of God, not by adoption, or

reputation, but by nature and
substance. For yet again the Lord himself this to
objecteth
them that would have stoned him : "
]Many good works have
I shewed you from my Father : for which of these good
works do ye
stone me ?
answered The
again, saying,Jews
For thy good works" (or do not stone thee,
"
well-doing) we
but for blasphemy ; namely, because thou, being a man, makest
thyself God." could be spoken
Lo, what more plainly?
"
Thou makest thyself God." And what, I pray you, had he
spoken, whereof they gathered these things ? "I give unto
my sheep everlasting life,neither shall they perish for ever,

neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father
which gave them me is greater than all: and none can pull
them of my
out Father's hand. I and the Father are one."
To give hfe everlasting doth power of God : belong to the

to preserve, and so to preserve that none may be able to
pluck them out of his hands, belongeth to the same power.

Now the Lord proveth this^ saying with this argument or
[1 Rather, For the last did not deserve death, but the first was
worthy of death. Hoc enim non erat capitale, illud erat capitalc, Lat.]
[2 Jesum, Lat.]
[3 So also ed. 1584: but cd. 1577 his saying; suam assertionem,
Lat.]
OF CHRIST TUUE AND VERY GOD. 249
VI.]
reason : None
is able to pull the sheep out of my Father's
hands : therefore none can pull them out of my hands. The
proof of his antecedent, Because the Father is greater than

all ; that is to say, is the greatest of all,whose divine power
is above all. The proof of his consequent, Because I and
my Father are one ; to wit, not in will and agreement only,

but in we do at this
majestyalso and power, whereof present
entreat ; not of concord or agreement, but of power to make
alive and to
preserve. Touching which the Lord himself
most plentifully discourseth throughout the whole fifth
chapter of St John's gospel, shewing that he forgiveth sins,

that by his power he makcth alive and raiseth up from the
dead, even as his Father doth ; therefore that he is of one
and the same divine power and

majestywith God the Father.
These things are so evident, plain, and manifest, that albeit
we had none other testimony ^ yet these may abundantly
suffice to prove the assertion of the true divinity or very
Godhead of the Son of God, that the Son indeed is true and
very God.
Again the selfsame our Lord
with great and Saviour
liberty of speech and plainness of words, without any man-ner
^
of riddle, dark sentence, and obscurity of words, openly
and expressly saith to his disciples: "Let not your heart be Johnxiv.
troubled (or You believe in God, believe also in me.

vexed).
I am the truth, and the life. He
the way, that hath seen
me hath seen
the Father. Do ye not believe that I am in
the Father, and the Father in me ?" And certain it is that
Christ our Lord is the heavenly doctor teacher, the most
or
constant* defender
truth, who of the neither hath seduced
neither yet could seduce and lead out of the way, no, not so
much as one. But [he]biddeth us believe in him as true
and very God. Therefore our Lord and Saviour is true and
very God. For in another place he saith most plainly : I "
John vi.
am the lively bread (or the bread of life) that came down
from heaven : he that believeth in me hath life everlastino'.''''
Heagain in the gospel plainly pronounceth, and saith :
"
Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son may johnxvii.
also glorify thee : as thou hast given him power of all flesh,
that so many as thou hast given him, he might give them life
[4 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577 testimonies; testimonia, Lat.j

P So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577 all
manner.]
everlasting. And tliis is everlasting life, that they should

know thee only true God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus
Christ." By which words he hath expressly proved both the
unity of God (thatis to say, that there is but one God),

against the Ethnicks who worshipped many gods; and notably
touched the distinction of the persons, in the meanwhile wise
like-
declaring himself to be very God with the Father. For
by and by he addeth :
"
Glorify thou me, O Father, with
thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before
this world was."
Here I think must not be over-slipped of me ment
argu- the
of Tertullian, which I will recite unto you, dearly be-

loved,
out of his book, De Trinitate, wherein he doth gather
together very many most sound and strong reasons of Christ
his divinity or Godhead. "If he) Christ
(saith be only man,
why hathhe appointed and set us down such a rule to

believe, wherein he should say, And this is life everlasting,
'
that they might know thee the only true (or God, and
very)
whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ?' If also he would not be
known to be God, why doth he add, * And whom thou hast
sent, Jesus Christ,' but for that he would be taken also for
God ? Because, if he would not be known to be God, he
would have added, And whom thou hast sent, the man
'
Jesus
Christ :' but now Christ neither hath added, neither yet hath
delivered unto us in doctrine, that he is man only, but hath
joinedhimself to God ; to the end he would be known by this
or joining together, that he also is God, as indeed
conjunction
he is. We must therefore believe, according to the prescript
rule, in one Lord true and very God ; and consequently in him
whom he hath sent, Jesus Christ

who had at no hand (as
:
have
we
said)joinedhimself to the Father, unless he would be
known to be God also. For he would have separated himself
from the Father, if he would not have been known to be
God. For he would have placed himself among men only, if
he had known that he was man
only : neither would he have
joinedhimself with God, if he had not also known himself to

be God. Now also touching as he is man, he saith nothing ;
because no man doubteth that he is man ; and he joineth him-
self
to God without good cause,
not that he might set down
a form of his divinity or Godhead to them that should believe.
If Christ be only man, how is it that he saith, ' And now
VI.]
glorify me with thee before the

with the glory which I had
world was?' he had glory with
If before the world was
God, and possessed glory with the Father, then was he before
the world. Neither had he had glory, if he had not been
afore, that he might possess glory : for none can have a

thing, unless he which possesseth the thing be afore. But
Christ had glory before the creation of the world ; therefore
he before the creation of the world.
was For if he had not
been before the creation of the world, he could not have had
glory before the creation of the world, when he himself was

not. But he could not as a man^ have glory before the
creation of the world, who then was^ when the world was
made. But Christ had glory; he was therefore before the
world was made ; he was not therefore man only, who was
before the world was made. Therefore he is God, because he

was before the world was made, and possessed glory before
the world was made^." After these words Tertullian doth
[1 So also ed. 1584: but cd. 1577 as

man.]
[2 Rather, who then was not. See Latin
original.]
[3 Si homo tantummodo Christus, quare credendi nobis talem
regulam posuit, quo diceret, Hsec est autem vita ajterna, ut sciant to
unum et verum Deum, et quernmisisti Jesum Christum? Si noluisset
se etiam intelligi,cur addidit, Et quern misisti Jesum Christum ; nisi
quoniam et Deum accipi voluit? Quoniam si Deum noUet intelligi,
addidisset, Et quem misisti hominem Jesum Christum. Nunc autem
neque addidit, nee se hominem nobis tantummodo Christus tradidit,
sed Deo junxit,ut et Deum per hanc est,

conjunctionem,sicut intelligi
vellet. Est ergo credendum secundum prajscriptam in Dominum
unum verum Deum, et in eum quem misit Jesum Christum conse-
quenter; qui se nequaquam Patri, ut diximus, junxisset,

nisi Deum
quoque intelligi vellet: separasset enim ab eo, si Deum intelligi se
noluisset. Inter homines enim tantummodo collocasset, si hominem

se
se esse tantummodo sciret ; nee cum Deo junxisset,si se non et Deum
nosset. Nunc et de homine tacet, quoniam hominem ilium nemo
dubitat ; et Deo se jungitmcrito, ut credituris divinitatis suae formu-

1am poneret. Si homo tantummodo Christus, quomodo dicit, Et nunc
honorifica me gloria quam habebam apud te priusquam mundus esset ?
Si antequam mundus esset gloriam habuit apud Deum, et claritatem
tenuit apud Patrem, ante mundum fuit; nee enim habuisset gloriam,
nisi ipse prius fuisset, qui gloriam posset tenere: nemo enim habere
aliquid poterit, nisi ante ipse fuerit qui aliquid tenet. Sed enim
Christus habet gloriam ante mundi institutionem : ergo ante insti-
tutionem mundi fuit. Nisi enim ante institutionem mundi esset, ante
mundi institutionem gloriam habere non posset, quum ipse non esset.
Sed enim homo gloriam ante mundi institutionem habere non potuit,
shew, that these things are not meant of the predestination,

but of the substance, of Christ. But thus far of this.
St Paul the apostle in his epistle to the Romans declareth
in plain words not once or twice, that our Lord Jesus Christ
is true and very God. For he speaking of Christ in his ninth
chapter saith :
"
Which is God in all things to be praised for
ever." The words are very well known which the same
apostle in his first epistle to the Corinthians, and
writeth
eighth chapter. St John the apostle and evangelist doth so
manifestly declare the divinity or Godhead of the Son in his
canonical epistle,that he which seeth and perceiveth it not is
blind both of body and mind. In the end of the epistle he
saith :
"
We know that the Son of God is come, and hath
given us mind, that we should know him who is true
a : and
we are in him that is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This
same is true life."
(or very) God, and eternal (or everlasting)
Now it is God by
whom
"
we live, move, and have our
being," as Paul witnesseth : but by Christ our Lord we live,
move, and have our being, as he himself hath expressly
taught in the gospel after John : Christ therefore is true and
very God.
In the forty-third and forty-fifthchapters of Esay the Lord
saith :
"
I am, I am the Lord; and there is no Saviour without
me. A and a Saviour, there is none
justGod beside me."
But Jeremy in his twenty-third chapter calleth Christ the son
of David, Jehovah, and our Righteousness. Likewise in Esay

the Father
speaking of his Son saith :
"
I have given (or
made) thee the hght of the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my
health unto the end of the world." Moreover, seeincj there is
no other God but one, none other salvation and righteousness
save that divine righteousness only, it followeth consequently,
doubtless, that Christ is true and very God, in all respects co-
equal
with his Father.
In the same Esay the Lord saith : "
I have sworn by mine
ownself, the word of righteousness shall go out of my mouth,
and it shall not be drawn back again : because every knee
qui post mundum fuit : Christus autem habuit ; ante mundum igitur
fuit. Non igitur homo tantummodo fuit, qui ante mundum fuit.
Deus est igitur, quoniam ante mundum fuit, et gloriam ante mundum
tenuit. " Tei-tull. 0pp. Novatian. de Trinitate. cap. 24. p. 723. Par.
16G4. Snc above, p. 129, note]
VI,] OF CHRIST TIIUE AND VERY MAN, 253
shall bow unto me, and all tongues shall swear (by my name)^"
And Paul saith : " There is a name given unto Christ which is pm. a.
above all names, that in the name ^

of Jesus everything should
bow, of things in heaven, of things in earth, and of things
under the earth ; and that every tongue should confess that the
Lord is Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father." It
must needs be therefore that Christ is true and very God.
For seeing he is worshipped and also served, seeing we con-
fess
him to be Lord ; that surely turneth not to the reproach
and ignominy, but to the honour and glory, of God the Father.
For in the gospel after John thus saith the Lord : " The john v.
Father hath given all judgment(towit, all jurisdiction, and

all government, to the Son ;
all glory, power, and authority)
that all might honour the Son as they honour the Father.
He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father
that sent him." Hereunto therefore belongeth that^ which
read in the prophet Esay I the Lord, Hu
"
we : (or,myself*)isai. xiu.
is my glory I will not give to another," (orto

name^ and my
a stranger, "c,) But he giveth his glory to the Son : he
therefore in his substance, according to his divinity or head,
God-
is not
stranger or severed from the Father, albeit he
a
be acknowledged to be another several person. What doth

the Lord in the gospel after John say ? "
And now, O Father, johnxvii.
glorify thou with thine ownself with the glory which thou
me
gavest me with thee before this world was ?" No, but, which
"
I had with thee ere the world^ was." "

I had," saith he, not,
"
I received ;" albeit the scripture doth oftentimes use this
word for the mystery of dispensation.

In Micheas the Christians say : " All people (one with mic. iv.
another) walk in the name of their God : as for us, we will

walk in the name of our God." Furthermore, they walk in
the name and the way of Jesus Christ, saying in the gospel,
"
I am the way," and "the door:" "I am the hght of the world ; John x. xw.
he that followeth me doth notwalk in darkness," That

Christ therefore is God, who is he that can be ignorant ? For
the Lord saith in Ezechiel, "I will feed my flock myself Eêu.
^^^'^'
alone :"
and anon he addeth, "
My servant David shall feed
it;" meaning Christ, the son of David, that only universal
[1 The translator's addition.] p genu, Lat. ; knee.]

[3 iterum, Lat. omitted; again.] [*"
I myself, ed. 1577.]
[5 See above, page 132.] [6Mc mundus, Lat.; this
world.]
pastor or shepherd of the church, and therefore true God.

For the universal pastor or shepherd must be a king and
a priest^ must be everlasting,must know all things, must be
omnipotent, must be present with all men in all places. The
Son of God therefore is true and very God, because he is the
Messias.
what is more
Furthermore, manifest and less called in
Mark ii.
coutrovcrsy, than that God only forgiveth sins? It must needs
be therefore, that nothing is more evident and less doubtful,
than that believe Christ to be true and very God, because
we
johni. "He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the
world."
iTim. i. Again, whereas Paul truly calleth Christ "our hope;"
isai. xi. (forEsay foretold, "In him shall the Gentiles trust;") and
jer. xvu. whereas Jeremy crieth, "Cursed be the manthat putteth his
trust in man, but blessed is the man that putteth his trust in
God ;" we necessarily confess that Christ is God.
must For
in John he oftentimes repeateth : "
Verily I say unto you, he
that believeth in hath everlasting life."
me
I could bring innumerable examples of this kind out of

the scriptures,which witness that the Son of God, our Lord
Jesus Christ,is of one and the selfsame nature with the Father,
and therefore is very God of very God : but I trust that to

holy hearers and not given to contention those which I have
already cited will suffice,

oftheincar- It rcmaiueth that we declare unto you, that the Son of
nation or true , . , ,
^ ^
humanity of God was mcamato tor us, and was born very man of the
Christ. .
''
^
virgin Mary, consubstantial, or of the selfsame substance,

with us in all points,sin excepted. The law, the prophets,
and the apostles, shew unto us most manifest arguments of

the true flesh or humanity of the Son of God.
(3g" jij
For in the law the Lord saith : The Seed of the woman "
shall crush the serpents head." But who knoweth not that
the head of the serpent is the kingdom, force, or power of
the devil ? And that Jesus Christ brake this power, the
whole scripture doth witness. And here he is called the
Seed of the woman. And truly he is called seed, to verify
his true human nature : and he is termed the seed of the
woman, not of the man, because of his conception by the
[1Ratlier, For the universal Shepherd, King and Priest, must be,
"c.]
OF CHRIST TRUE AND VERY MAN. 255
VI.]
Holy Ghost, and his birth of the virgin ^lary. And because
she was the daughter of David, of Abraham, and Adam, it

followeth that the son of Mary was very man. For as we
have heard it said to Adam, "The Seed of the woman shall
"
bruise the serpent's head ; so also we read that the same
was
renewed and repeated to Abraham in these
promise
beoen.xxii.
words: "In thy seed shall all the nations of the world
blessed." And Paul to the Galatians manifestly saitli,that oai. in.
this Seed of Abraham, wherein we have obtained blessing, is
apostle saith, For in no sort took
"
Christ Jesus. The same Heb. ii.
he the angels, but he took the seed of Abraham :" by angels "
doubtless excluding all manner of spiritual substances : by the

itself of
seed of Abraham understanding the very substance
the flesh of man. For he addeth : "Wherefore in all things Heb. ii.
it became him to be made like unto his brethren. And cause

be-
they be partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself
likewise took part with them (of the
same)." Verily, the
scriptui'edraweth the lineal descent of Christ most diligently
from the loins of Ab#"ham unto Jacob, and from him again to
Judas, and from him in like sort to David. To him again
the promises of the incarnation of the Son of God are renewed.
Thus saith the Lord, When
"
For Nathan saith to David : 2 sam. vw.
thy days be fulfilled,thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, and I

will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy
body, and will stablish his kingdom : he shall build a house
for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom
for ever." Neither is there any cause why any man should
interpret this of Salomon. For he was born while his father
David lived, and his kingdom quickly decayed. But Nathan
speaketh of a son which should be born to David after his

death : thou shalt sleep with thy fathers," saith he,
When
"
"
I will set up thy seed after thee." And what manner of
seed this should be, he most evidently declareth, and saith,
"
which shall proceed out of thy body." For in the 132nd
Psalm we read; "Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy
seat.""
Furthermore, virgin descended lineally from
Mary the
the seed^ of David, of whom Christ our Lord was begotten
and born, of whom the angel speaking, and expounding those
old and ancient prophecies, saith unto the virgin: "And the Luke i.
[2 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577

of the
seed.]
256 THE FOUKTII DECADE. [sERM.
Lord shall give unto him the seat of his father David,
God
and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and
of his kingdom there shall be none end.'^ Hereunto also
belongeth that which Elisabeth saith to the virgin Avhiclicame
out of Galilee into the hill-country of Juda : "And whence
Cometh this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come
to me ?
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the
Lukeiii
^^'^^^^^ ^^y womb." Truly Matthew and Luke draw the
lineal descent of Christ from the loins as it were^ of David
even virgin Mary, which conceiveth by the Holy
unto the
Ghost, that is,the Holy Ghost making her fruitful.She, when
the months were fulfilledthat she should be delivered, brought
forth a son: and he which is born in all respects appeareth
to be true and very man : he is laid in a manger, wrapped in
swathling clouts ; he grew in stature, and increased in years,

according to the manner of man's body ; he is wearied, he is
refreshed, he is glad, he is sad, he is hungry, he is thirsty,he

eateth, he drinketh, he feareth, and, to be short, he dieth :
which the truth of the history of the gospel in many words
declareth.
Matt. i. Neither scripture itself ashamed
is the to call Mary
the mother of our Lord, not the putative or supposed, but

the true and natural mother, which of the substance of her
own body gave true flesh and substance of man to the Son
of God ; the angel of God so witnessing with Esay, and say-

isai. vii. inp; " A viro;inshall conceive in her womb, and shall bring:
Lukei. C3' "
.... " "
1 * 1
forth a son." Lo, he saith, m her womb." And again, m"
the selfsame angel saith, That which is conceived

Matt i. "
Matthew
in her is of the Holy Ghost." Whereupon the apostle unto
Gal. iv. the Galatians saith,that "the Son of God is made of a wo-
man,"
to wit, according to man's nature. For Christ is the
of David, and of the virgin Mary, begotten

fruit of the body
and born of the loins of David : and John also, the apostle
johni. and evangehst, saith, "The word was made flesh,and dwelt
among us." In calling God flesh,doubtless he calleth him
very man. For the same apostle in another place saith :

is come in
ijohniv. "Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ
the flesh, is of God ; and every spirit which confesseth not
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God." There-
fore
we freely pronounce that Yalentinus, Marcion, Apelles,
[1 ex prosopia et vcluti lumbis, Lat.]

OF BOTH NATURES IN CHRIST. 257
VI.]
and Manichncus, denying the true and very flesh of Christ,are

of the devil ; and therefore that they by all means, together
"withall their disciplesand sectaries,are to be avoided. This
treatise of the true flesh of Christ we knit up "with these
most plain words of Paul : When Christ was in the form of rhii.
"
a.
God, he made himself of no reputation, taking on him the

form of a servant, and made in the likeness of men, and found
in figure as a man. He humbled himself, being made obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross." Wherefore it is
without doubt, that the Son of God took true and human flesh,
and in the same is consubstantial or of the selfsame substance
with us in all points, sin excepted.

Neither did our Lord, after he was risen again from the The Lord,
dead, thouo-h he were put off or lay aside his true risen, laid
o-lorified,
body which he had once taken and put on; and his glo- j";-^nd very
rificationdoth not take away the truth of his nature. For
he saith unto his disciples, A spirithath not flesh and bones [Luuexxiv.
"
as
ye see me have." he carried that his true and
Wherefore
very flesh into heaven with him; in his true flesh he appear-
eth always for us in the sight of God the Father ; in his
true flesh he will come to judgethe quick and the dead; in
his true flesh they shall see him which crucified^him. Christ
according to this nature (who in respect of his Godhead is

no creature, but a Creator) is a creature; for the flesh of
Christ hath beginning, and lineally descended from Adam,
who is the creature of the living God. And albeit these
things be sufficientlyfenced with the force of the scriptures,
yet it shall not seem irksome unto you, dearly beloved, to
rehearse the opinion of the blessed father Cyril, which con-

cerning
the same matter he hath left written in his epistle
unto Successus, bishop of Isauria diocese^ in these words :
"
Because I in your advertisement such a kind of
found
thing, as though the holy flesh of Christ, the Saviour of us
all,were turned into the nature of his deity after his resur-
rection,
so that now he seem
wholly and solely
should to be
God, thought good also to make answer
we unto this." And
a few words after: "After the resurrectioncertainlyit was the
[2 confixerunt, Lat. ; which pierced.]

[3 Isaurise Diocsesariensis, Lat. Diocoesarea was of the dioceses
one
in the province of Isauria, and under the patriarchate of Antioch."
Bingham, Antiq. of Christ. Ch. Book ix. chap. 3. ^ 16.]

r -I
17
[bULLINGER,III.]
selfsame body "which suffered, but yet not having now in

itself man's infirmities. For we affirm not that it abideth
hunijcr, labour, or anv such like things,but we confess that
now it is incorruptible
and not this only, : but also that
quickeneth and giveth life. For it is a body that both hath

and giveth life,that is to say, of the only-begotten Son of
God; and it is glorifiedwith the most wortliy brightness of God;
and it is known and taken to be the body of God. There-

fore
if any man say that that is God's body, as the body of
a man is man's body, he swerveth not from allowable reason.
Whereupon I think that most blessed Paul also said, Though '
we have Christ after the flesh, now

known yet henceforth
know we him no more.' For being, as I said, the proper
body of God, it far passeth all human bodies. But a body
made of earth could not abide to be turned into the nature

of the deity or Godhead.
otherwise For this is impossible :
Ave abase the Godhead, as if it were made, and as if it had

taken somewhat into itself which according to nature doth
not properly belong to it. Hereby it is proved to be as
much folly to say that the body is turned into the nature
of the Godhead, as that which is the Word to be changed

into the substance of flesh. For as this is impossible, be-
cause
it is proved to be a body not able to be turned and
changed ; so also it is not possible that any creature can be

turned into the essence or nature of the Godhead : but flesh
is also created ; and therefore we say that the body of Christ

is divine, because it is the body of God, and beautified with
unspeakable glory. And now let us confess that it is uncor-

ruptible,
holy, and giving life: but that it is changed into
the nature of the Godhead, neither have any of the holy
fathers so thought or taught, neither do we so think ^" Thus
\} 'ETretS;; Se iv ro) inrofii'rjCTTiKci Tiva Xoyou roiavTTjv,

fvpov efxîacriv
OTi jiera ttjv avaaraaiv to
ayiov amfxa tov Travrcov Xpicrrov
7]fi(ov "TU"TTJpos
deoTrjTa poprjv, Selp
fls SeuTrjTa, (prjcri,
peraKex'^prjKfp, cos fivai to
o\ov
Koi TTpus ye
(oi]6tjv tovto
elni'iv. . . .
Merti yc ttjv dvaaTaa-cv j'jup(V avTO to
^^ eauTO)
crcojLta TO
Treirovdos, ttXijv ovkcti tus avdpanrivas aadfvfias ^X""
toiovtcov tivos 0"ktikuv
ou
yap neivrjs, (Ti
ij kottov,
rj eTepov tcov fluai
dXAa \oLn6v tovto
aWa Kai
(])apev
a iro' afpSapTov'Kiii ov}() povov,
^Mrjsyiip
^cooTToiou' ecTTi
(TcSyna,tovt eaTi, tov
povoyevovs' KaTeXapTrpwdij
fie /cat 86^r]TTj deoirpfrrecrrdTj],
Koi i/oetrat Qeov crapa. ToiydpToi, kuv et
Tis nvTO Xeyot delov, uxnrfp dpeXfi tov dvdpcoTTOv to dvdpcomvov, ovk uv
dpdpTot TOV TTpiTTovTos 'Koyicrpov.

"Odfv oipai Koi tov TlavKov
ao^d)TaTOV
VI.]
far Cyril. Theodoretus, bishop of Cyrus, Dialog, ii.
And
Eranist. saith : I will shew that the body of the Lord,
"
yea, after the ascension, was called a body. Hear Paul

therefore saying,
'
Our conversation is in heaven, from rhii. iu.
whence we look for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ

: who
shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like
unto his glorious body.' Therefore it is not changed into
another nature, but remaincth indeed a true and very body,

replenished wuth divine glory, and casting forth beams of
light. But if it be changed into another nature, their bodies
also shall likewise be changed ; for they shall be fashioned

like unto him. But if the bodies of saints keep the sub-
stance
of their nature, the body of the Lord likewise hath
2."
his substance unchangeable Thus far Theodoret.
Furthermore, profess that Christ hath true and
Christ hath
when we '"
a
^
reasonabls
very flesh, we do not mean flesh without soul. For we must ^""'-
confess, that Christ hath a reasonable or human soul, not
(iiretv Et yap (yvccKOfiev Kara

(rapKa 'Kpiarov, aXKa vvv ovKfTi
yivaa-Kopev.
Q(ov cos 'i8tovcrapa avOpamva. invdpxov irdvTa ra
yap, f(f)T)v, vTrepe^r)
8e
MeTaôkfjv rrjv fls ttju ttjs deorrjTos ovk
(pvcrtv evSe^frai.Tradelvcrwpa to
aTTo dprjxavov yap- eirel Karayopevopev Ssottjtos,cos
yrjs- Trjs yevrjTtjs,Kal
iv o ecrri Kara \8iop Icrov yap
o)f tI
7rpo"jKaôvcrT]s prj eavTJj, cjivaiv avrrjs.
icTTLvels droTrlas\6yov to etTreii', oti to aaipa ds deoTTjTos
pfTf^Xrjdr] (pvaiv,
ort 6 Xoyos fls aapKOs, tco Xeyeiv peTa-
Kal prjv KaKilvo, pfTf^Xfjdi] (pvcriv
'
TTjv BeoTTjTa els Qarrep 8e tovto dprjxavov,

K")((oprjKivai, (pvcriv
crapKos.
dvaXkolcoTos idTLV,
uTpeTTTos yap Kal ovtco
Kal to
eTepov ov
ydp icTTiTa"u
deoTTjTos tl 8vvda-6ac Tav kti-
((piKTcovfls ovcriav"qTOi (pvaiv peTaxcoprjirai
8e Kal ovkovv 6a.ov pev fivai
crpaTcov KTiapa ?)crap^. (papevto crapa
Tov XpiCTTOv,
eVetS^tov
Oeov aapd eaTi,
koI apprjTCO So^rj
KaTTjyXa'icrpevov,
8e
a(pdapTov, ayiov, ^coorroiov oti
els deorrjTOS (fwaiv ovTe
peTejiXi'^drj, tIs
Tuiv dyiu"v TvaTepcav tj ovTe
tj f'lprjKev, -qpels ovTa" biaKflpeda
7r"(pp6i"T]K"V
Cyrill. Epist. i. ad Successum. 0pp. Tom. v. Part. ii. pp. 139, 140.
Lutet. 1638.]
Se Spas,
[2 Aei'^co Kal pera tt]v aSpa KaXovpevop tov Aecr-
avaXrjyîp
"Akovctov diTO"TToKov SiddaKovTos' 'Hpcov yap
TTOTOv TO
(Twpa. Toiwv TOV
iv ovpavols vTvapxî-i dTTeK8e)(_6pe6a
Kvpiov
to
TToXiTtvpa e$ ov Kal a-aiTfjpa
'Ijjctovv to TaTreivwcrecos to
OS peTaaxfJpaTLaei. crcopa t7]s -qpav, els yeveadai
avTo
avppopcbov tov crmpaTos tF]s 86^rjs
avTOv. Ov
toIvvv els eTepav peTa-
ê^XrjTai dXkd
(pvcriv, pepevqKe cruipa, deias pevToi do^rjs
TveTrkrjpcopevov, Kal
OKTivas Ei 8e fis
(pcoTos Tiepnov . . .
eTepav eKelvo cpvcriv,
peTel^Xrjdr] Kal
TO. TovTcav (i.e. Tav dyicov^
(oaavTas
peTa^XrjdqaeTai' yap
crvppopcpa eKeivco
yevqcrsTai' ei Se ra tuiv Tt)v xP-paKTr] to

ayicov (pvXaTTSt pa Trjs(pvaecos,
Kal
becTTTOTiKovapa cocravTcos ttjv olKeiav ovcriav dpeTajSXrjToveêi Theodoret.
Dial. II. pp. 83, 84. 0pp. Tom. iv. Lutet. 1642.]
17"2
2G0 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
void of a Arius taught that the Son of God took flesh

mind.
only without souP, and that the Word was in place of the soul.
And Apollinarius did attribute unto Christ a soul, but he took
2.
away the mind, denying that it was reasonable The scrip-
ture
doth both attribute unto Christ a soul, and taketh not
away the mind from the soul. The Lord himself saycth in
Matt. XX.
^^c gospel : " The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto,
but to minister, and to give his soul a redemption for many."
Matt. xxvi.
The same Matthew hath leftwritten of him : " He began to be
sorrowful and heavy. And

Jesus said, My soul is heavy, even
unto the death." And in another place the Lord himself saith :
Now my soul is troubled." And if so be that this soul of
"
John xii.
Christ lack the mind, which is the chiefestpart of the soul,

how hath he soul ? how
could he be sorrowful, and under-
a
stand, desire, and remember ?

"
Luke xxii.
With hearty desire (saiththe
Lord) have I desired to eat this passover with you before
I suffer." But this desire came not from his Godhead, neither
from his flesh only, nor from his soul wanting a mind, but
from his perfect manhood of body and mind. Moreover
read in the gospel that the Lord said : The Son of Man "
Lukeix. we
came not to destroy men's souls, but to save them." fore

There-
he took not flesh only, but a reasonable soul also. For
man perished both soul and body : therefore that he
had
might be saved both body and soul, our Saviour Christ took
a very man's body and a reasonable soul, that is to say,
a most perfect man. Therefore blessed Athanasius, teaching
us according to the scriptures the confession of true faith,
said :
"
Christ is God of the substance of his Father, begotten
before all worlds ; and man of the substance of his mother,
born in the world : perfect God, and perfect man, of a reason-
able
soul and human flesh subsisting."
The heretical Thus far in those words have we shewed that Jesus Christ
error and the .^ , .
/-" t i i "
i a
sound truth Qur Lord IS very God and very"' man ; consubstantial or of
^
ing the
touching , _
mystery of
Christ's incar-
nation.
the substance with the Father according to his Godhead,
same
and consubstantial or of the same substance with us according

to his manhood. For he hath a reasonable soul and human
flesh in very deed. will speak furthermore of the con-

We
juncti
or
uniting of these natures into one person; in which
matter histories declare, that certain ancient writers in old
[1 without a soul, ed. 1577.]

[2 Augustin. dc Uteres, cap.
55.]
VI.]
time foully erred. For Eutyches admitted one nature only in

Christ, and the same made, that is,meddled or confounded
together of a divine and human nature : from whom the
Monothelites were not far beyond, acknowledging only one
will in Christ. ]Sêstorius,willing to avoid a coal-pit,fellinto
a lime-kiln For he, confessing two natures, seemeth to af- a proverbial
"'.
kind of
,
firm that there are so many persons, teachmg O that the Word is speech
'
"/ whereby is
-I
not united to the flesh into the selfsame person, but that it |"/.j\"',i, a
only dwelleth therein: whereupon also he forbad the holy [piiinôa*

^'"^^^'^'^-
virgin to be called God's mother. Against whom the common
assertion of the whole church, holding opinion according to the
scripture, hath taught that two natures in Christ and the
properties of those natures are to be confessed ; which are so
coupled together into one undivided person, that neither the
divine nature is changed into the human, nor the human into
the divine, but either of them retain or keep their own nature,
and both of them subsist in the unity of person. For Christ^

according to the dispositionof his divine nature is one and the
selfsame, immortal : according to the disposition of his human
nature, mortal : and the selfsame immortal God and mortal
man is the only Saviour of the world. Of which thing we
will speak anon, by God's grace, somewhat more largely and

plainly.
Touching the very
conjunctionor
uniting of the true God- or the
head and manhood in Christ, the prophets and apostles have Christ his
Godhead
r "! 1-1 -n 1 !"
craftily disputed. For they speaking and m"-

not crabbedly^ nor
simply said, God was "
made man ;" or, God took on him
man. For John the apostle and evangelist saith :
"
The john i.
Word was
made flesh," that is,God was made man, or the
"
Word of God became flesh. St Paul saith : God was made i xim. in.
manifest in the flesh." And again :

"
The Son of God in no Heb. a.
sort took the angels, but he took the seed of Abraham."

Therefore we, according to the doctrine of the apostles, ex-
pounding
the mystery of the of the divine andconjunction
human in Christ, say : God was
nature incarnate or made
man ; God took on him man ; God appeared or was made
manifest in human flesh. He that willsiftout deeper matters
than these, it is to cast himself into great dangers.
[3 illam carbonariam, Lat. See Vol. p. S76. n. 1.]

i.
[^Rather, For one and the same Christ is according to, "c.]
[5 spinose, Lat.]
"G2 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
Some there are in expounding these points more

who,
fully, use the words of society or fellowship, participation,
and communion, or part-taking; and that, not without
authority
Heb. ii. of the scriptures ; saying, Forasmuch
Paul then as the
"
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself like-

wise
took part with them."
Christ re-
Nevertheless we must here firstof all take heed, that we
taineth both
natures do not meddle or confound the two natures joined together in
unmeddled,
or uncon-
foundecl
one person, nor that we rob them of their properties. For
together. God of his own nature is everlastino-and unchangeable. God
therefore, remaining always one and the selfsame, is not
changed into an human or into any other nature, but joineth,
coupleth, takcth, yea, and uniteth unto himself the human
nature. Again, unless in his human nature he remain a
creature, and be the selfsame which he is said to be, it is not
an human nature this therefore remaining^ in its own
: sub-
stance is taken to the divine nature. Therefore two natures
remain in the person of Christ,the divine and the human ;

one
and either of them doth retain their own dispositionand their

own property : which we will now declare by some places of
scripture.
Esay in his seventh chapter saith : "
A virgin shall con-
ceive,
and bring forth a Son ; and his name shall be called
Immanuel." He
acknowledgeth both natures in Christ : for
according to his divine nature he is called Immanuel,"

"
that
is to say, God with us ;" according to his human
"
nature
he is conceived and born. The same prophet saith :
"
A
child is born unto us, and a son is given unto us," "c. For
he is given who is from everlasting; and he is born whose
beo-innino;and being; is in the worlds Wherefore one and
the selfsame retaineth both the divine and the human nature.
For Micheas also saith : And thou, Beth-lehem Ephrata, art
"
littleindeed the thousands of Judah.

amono- Out of thee
shall he come forth unto me, which shall be the governor
in Israel, whose out2;oin2;shave been from the becrinninff,and
from everlasting." Lo, what could be spoken more plain?
One and the offsprings : for insomuch
selfsame hath two as
he is God, his generation is from everlasting; and as he is

man, he is born in Beth-lehem. Wherefore one and the self-
same
Christ is very God and very man. Again in the gospel
[1 qui in seculo esse incipit,Lat.]
VI.]
according to St jNIatthew, the Lord askcth the Pharisees,

saying : AVhat think you of Christ ? whose
"
Son is he ? Matt. xxii.
They said unto him, The Son of David. lie saith unto them.
How then doth David
in spirit call him Lord, saying, ThcPsai. ex.
Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on ray right hand until 1
make thine enemies thy footstool? If David call him Lord,

how is he then his Son ?" As if he said : Since Christ without
doubt is the Son of David, and he callcth him Lord (notby
human aftection,but by the Holy Ghost),that is to
say, very
God of the selfsame power with the Father, the sequeF is
that Christ is very man and very God. The angel Gabriel,
noting no less plainly both these natures, saith to the viigin

Mary : That holy thing which shall be born shall be called ^"iêi.
"
the Son of God." For of the virgin he is born, very man
of very and this is the Son of God.

man : For Elisabeth
also calleth the virgin the mother of the Lord ; to wit, of

God. Moreover, in the gospel of John thou mayest read
very many sayings of this sort, which point out, as it were
with the finger, both natures in the selfsame Christ. "YeJohnxiv.
believe," saith the Lord, in God, believe also in me."
"
And
again,
o
"
The Father is greater than I." Also, I went out "
[Jqhnxvi.
O '
28.]
from the Father, and came into the world : again I leave
the world, and go to the Father." And again in another
place:
"
The
shall ye have always with you, but moMarkxiv.
poor
always ye shall not have." And again: "Behold, I amiiatt. xxvii
always with you, even unto the end of the world." Which
sentences truly, as it were contrary, cannot be all true at
once,
unless we acknowledge Christ retaineth the pro-
that perties
of (both)
natures unconfounded or
unmingled. Paul
unto the Romans manifestly saith, that
"
he was
called to Rom. i.
be apostle to preach the gospel of God,

an
which he had
promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures, con-
cerning
his Son ; which was made of the seed of David ac-
cording
to the flesh ; and declared to be the Son
mightily
of God, touching the Spirit of sanctification, by the resur-
rection
from the dead." The apostle therefore acknowledgeth
both natures in Christ : for according to the flesh (saith
he) Christ is theof David ; but if we Son
behold the
power of his miracles, his resurrection from the dead which
giveth life,and that Christ sendeth the Holy Ghost and
[2 conseqiiens est, Lat. ; it follows.]
all the faithful,it appeareth that he which is the

sanctifietli
Son of David after the flesh is also the Son of God according
to his divine power. The same apostle, in the second chap-
ter
to the Phllippians, doth less plainly and evidently
no
affirm both natures in Christ. But because that place

hath been already oftentimes alleged,I pass over to the citing
of other.
The natures St Augustiuo, oxpouuding uot ouly the confession of
are not" his own faith,but of the whole church in all the world which
mingled or..
"!" -i t\ i
confounded, flourishod in his time, in his epistle to Dardanus, lvii. hath
thus left written : Doubt not that the man
"
Christ Jesus is
there now, from whence he shall come ; and have in ready
remembrance and faithfully hold the christian confession :

because he rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, sitteth
at the right hand of the Father, neither shall come from
elsewhere than from thence, to judgethe quick and the dead :

and in such sort shall he come, that voice of the angel so
witnessing, as he was seen to go into heaven ; that is to say,

in the selfsame shape and substance of flesh, to which indeed
he gave immortality, (but)took not the nature away. Ac-
cording
to this shape he is not to be thought everywhere
present. For we must beware lest we so fortify the divi-

nity
of man, that we take clean away the truth of his body.

For it doth not consequently follow, that that which is in
God should be so* everywhere as God. For the scripture
which cannot lie saith even of us, that 'in him we live,move,
and have our being,' howbeit we are not everywhere as he

is: but he is after another sort man in God, because he is
also otherwise God in man, after a certain proper and sin-

gular
manner. For one person is God and man, and both
of them is one Jesus Christ ; everywhere in that he is God,

but in heaven in that he is man."
author saith And the same
a littleafter : Take away space of places from bodies, and

"
they shall be nowhere : and because they shall be nowhere,

they shall be no bodies. Take the very bodies from the
qualities of the bodies, and there shall be no place for them

to be, and therefore it must needs be that they have no
being." And in the end of the Epistle the same Augustine
saith ;
"
Doubt not that Christ our Lord, the only-begotten
Son of God, co-equal with the Father, being also the Son
[1 So also cd. i:iS4 : but cd. 1577, should "0 be.]

VI.J OF BOTH NATURES IN chhist. 265
of man, whom the Father exceedeth in greatness, both to

be present everywhere as he is God, and also to be in the
same temple of God as God dwelling there ; and yet to be
in some certain place of heaven according to the manner of
his true body 2." The selfsame thing the same author as
yet
expoundeth more at large in his fiftiethtreatise upon John^ ;
and Contra Felicianum Arianum, cap. 0, 10, and 11*; also

in his treatise De Agone Christi, cap. 24 unto cap. 27^. To
[2 Noli itaquo dubitare, ibi nunc esse hominem Christum Jesum

untie venturus est, memoriterquo recole ct fidoliter tene Christianam
confossionem : quoniam resurrexit a mortuis, asccndit in coelum, scdet
ad dcxteram Patris, ncc aliunde quam indc venturus est ad vivos
mortuosque judicandos;et sic venturus est, ilia angelica voce testante,
quemadmodum ire visus est in coelum, id est, in eadem carnis forma
atque substantia, cui profecto immortalitatem dedit, naturam non
abstulit. Secundum banc formam non est putandus ubique difFusus.

Cavendum est enim ne ita divinitatem astruamus bominis, ut vcritatem
corporis auferamus. Non est autcm consequens, ut quod in Deo est

ita sit ubique ut Deus. Nam et do nobis veinssima scriptura dicit,
quod in illo vivimus, movemur, et sumus ; nee tamen sicut ille ubiquo
sumus : sed alitor homo ille in Deo, quoniam alitor et Deus ille in
homine, proprio quodam et singulari mode. persona DeusUna enim
et homo est, et utrumque est unus Cbristus Jesus : ubique, per id quod
Deus est ; in coelo autem per id quod homo Nam spatia locorum
. . .
telle corjioribus, nusquam erunt: et quia nusquam erunt, nee erunt.

Telle ipsa corpora qualitatibus corporum, non erit ubi sint, et ideo
necesse est ut non sint. Christum autem Dominum
. . nostrum, unigeni-
tum Dei Filium, aiqualem Patri, eundomque hominis filium, quo
major
est Pater, et ubique totum prscsentem esse non dubites tanquam Dcum,
et in eodem templo Dei esse tanquam inhabitantcm Deum, et in loco
aliquo coelipropter veri corporis modum. Augustin. ad Dardan.

" Ep.
LVii. 0pp. Tom. n. fol. 63. col. 3. fol. 54. col. 2. fol. 66. col. 1. Par.
1631.]
[3 Secundum prsesentiam semper habemus
majestatis Christum; se-
cundum
pratsentiam carnis, recte dictum est discipulis, Me autem non
semper habebitis. " Id. Tom. ix. fol. 7G. col. 3.]
\} Fel. Scire cupio quo pacto ad filium transeat dignitas patris, et
ad patrem non recurrat humilitas prolis ? Aug. Non secundum ram

natu-
ista nunc dici, quotidianarum rerum
exempla nos decent, "c. "
Id. Tom. VI. fol. 160. col. 3." This treatise is not
genuine.]
[5 Nee eos audiamus qui negant tale corpus Domini resurrexisse,
quale positum est in monumento, "c. c. 24. Nee eos audiamus qui
negant ipsum corpus secum levasse in coelum Dominum nostrum, "c.
c. 25. Nee eos audiamus qui negant ad dextram Patris sedere Filium,
"c. c. 26." Id. Tom. iii. fol. 164. col. 2. P.]
which we will also jointhe testimony of the holy martyr

Vigilius, bishop of Trident. For he, disputing against Eu-
tyches in the defence of both natures in Christ, saith : If "
the nature of the Word and flesh be one, how is it that since
the Word is everywhere, the flesh also is not found every-
where?
For when the flesh was in earth, surely it wass
not in heaven ; and because it is now in heaven, surely it is

not in earth : and so far is it from being: in the earth, that
according to flesh we do look for Christ to come from heaven,
whom according to the Word we believe to be with us on
earth. Therefore, according to your opinion, either the Word

is contained with his flesh in place, or else the flesh with the
Word is in every place : whereas one nature receiveth not
into itself anything contrary and unlike. But it is contrary
and far unlike to be limited within a place, and to be every-

where
: and because the Word is in every place, but his
flesh is not in every place, it is evident that one and the self-
same
Christ is of both natures ; and that he is everywhere
according to the nature of his Godhead, and is contained in

place according to the nature of his manhood ; that he is
both created, and also without beginning ; that he is
subject
to death, and also cannot die ; one of which is agreeable to
him by the nature of the Word, whereby he is God ; the
other by the nature of the flesh, whereby the selfsame God

is man. Therefore one and the selfsame Son of God, being
also made the Son of man, hath a beginning by the nature
of the flesh, and hath no beginning

of his by the nature
divinity : by the nature of his flesh he is created, and by
the nature of his divinity he is not created : by the nature
of his flesh he is limited in place, and by the nature of his

divinity he is not contained in place : by the nature of his
flesh he is inferior also to angels, and according to his divi-
nity
he is equal to the of his flesh
Father : by the nature
he died, but by the nature of his divinity he died not. This
is the catholic faith and christian confession, which the apostles
delivered, the martyrs confirmed, and the faithful even unto
this day do observe and keep'." Hitherto we have rehearsed
[1 Si Vcrbi et caiTiis una natura est, quomodo cum Verbum ubique

non inveniatur et caro? Nam quando in terra fuit, non
sit, ubique
in coelo : et nunc quia in coelo est, non est utique in teiTa;
erat utique
et in tantum non est, ut secundum ipsum Christum spectemus ven-
VI.] OF THE UNITY OF PEUSON IN CHRIST. 267
the words of Vigilius,martyr and bishop, to this end, that

the most notable agreement of the holy scripture, of the uni-
versal
church, and of the most godly and learned fathers in
this principle might be understood, wherein we confess that chnst in
the properties of both natures in Christ remain unconfoundcd.

remrincm
Again, we by all means
must take heed, lest through de-
fending
and retaining the properties of the two natures we
divide and pull asunder the unity of the person ; as though

there were two Christs, whereof the one should be to
subject
suffering and mortal, the other not subject to suffering and
immortal. For there is but one and the same Christ, who
according to his Godhead
is acknowledged immortal, and
mortal according to his manhood. Nestorius denied that the

blessed virgin Mary was the mother of God ; for he said
God unchangeable, and therefore that he could not be
was
born, and that he had no mother. "Whereupon sprang a sus-

picion,
that he should say the Lord was bare man, and that
he should maintain the heretical opinion of Paulus Samosa-
tenus and Photinus : which thing Socrates handleth at
large, Historiarum Lib. vii. cap. 32 2.
But Nestorius was
turum de coelo, quem secundum Yerbum nobiscum esse credimus in

terra. Igitur secundum vos aut Verbum cum carne sua loco conti-
netur, aut caro cum Vei'bo ubique est, quando una natura contrarium
quid et diversum non recipit in seipsa. Diversum est autem et longe
dissimile circumscribi loco et ubique esse ; et quia Verbum ubique est,
caro autem non est, apparet unum Christum
ejusubique eundemque
utriusque esse natui-se ; et esse quidem ubique secundum naturam di-
vinitatis suae, et loco contineri secundum naturam humanitatis suae;
creatum esse, et initium non habere non

; morti subjacere,et mori
posse : quod unum illi est ex natura Yerbi, qua Deus est ; aliud ex
natura carnis, qua idem Deus homo est. Igitur unus Dei Filius idemque
hominis factus filius habet initium ex natura carnis suae, et non habet
initium ex natm'a divinitatis suae ; creatus est per naturam carnis suae,
et non est creatus per naturam divinitatis suae ; circumscribitur loco
per naturam carnis suse, et loco non capitur per naturam divinitatis
suae ; minor est etiam angelis per naturam suse, et sequalis est
camis
Patri secundum naturam divinitatis sua? ; mortuus est natura carnis
sufe, et non est mortuus natura divinitatis sua). Hsec est fides et con-
fessio catholica, quam apostoli tradiderunt, martyres roboraverunt, et

fideles nunc Vigilii contra Eutychen. Lib. iv. fol.
usque custodiunt. "
Tigur. 1539.]
.73.
[2 Socratis Hist. Eccles. Lib. vii. cap. 32. De Anastasio presby-
tero, a quo Nestorius ad impietatem est. ed. Cantab, pp.
perductus
380, 381.]
injurious
to the scripture and to true faith. For Elisabeth,
the wife of Zachary and the mother of St John Baptist, being
full of the Holy Ghost, in express words saluteth the holj
virgin ]\Iary,and calleth her the mother of the Lord, that is,
the mother of God. And albeit his heavenly nature
be out
with-
generation and corruption, yet notwithstanding it is most
certain that he whom j\Iary brought forth was God in very
deed. For
that which is born of her," saitlithe angel, " is
"
the Son of God :" therefore she brought forth God, and she
worthily is called the mother of God. For if she bare not
God, she brought forth bare man, neither hath the Son of
God
coupled man unseparably to himself. In likemanner, since
God of his own nature is immortal, truly he cannot die : but
if any man for that cause should absolutely deny that God
was crucifiedand offered,yea, and died for us, he should gain-
cor. ii.
say Paul saying, "Had they known it\ they would not
have crucifiedthe Lord of glory." But who is ignorant that
the God of glory, or glorious God, cannot be crucified? In
the meanwhile, since he which according to the flesh suffered
and nailed on the cross was
was God, not bare man only, we
rightly say that God suffered and was nailed on the cross for
us ; though he
which sufferedsufferedaccording to that only
which could suffer. For Peter the apostle saith, Christ
"
fi Pet. iv. 1.]
hath suffered for us in the flesh." The firstToletan council

following him decreed in these words : " If any shall say or
believe that the Godhead may be born, let him be accursed.
If any shall say or believe that the deity of Christ may be
turned, changed, or
suflering,let him be accursed.
to
subject
If any shall say or believe that the nature of the Godhead
and the manhood is one in Christ, lethim be accursed 2." And
Damasus bishop of Rome saith :
"
If any shall say, that in
sufferingon the cross the Son of God and God suffered pain,
and not the flesh with the soul which he put on in the form
[1 ipsum, Lat. ; him.]
[2 Si quis dixerit vel crediderit Deitatem
nascibilem esse: ana-
tliema sit. Si quis dixerit vel crediderit Deitatem Christi convertibilem

fuisse, vel passibilem: anathema sit. Si quis dixerit vel crediderit
Deitatis et carnis unam in Christo esse naturam : anathema sit. As- "
scrtio Fidei Concil. Toletan. i. Magd. Centur. Cent. v. cap. 9. foil.467,

4G8. Basil. 1624. The first of these three determinations is not found,
and the second is given somewhat differently, in Concil. Labb. et Coss.

Tom. n. col. 1228.]
OF THE UNITY OF PERSON IN CHRIST. 209
VI.]
him as the scripture saith, let
of a servant, which he took on
him be accursecP." Therefore, whereas Paul saith, that
"God hath purchased to himself a church with his own Acts xx.
blood," who is so mad to believe that the divine nature hath
or ever had blood? In the meanwhile who is such a dor-

head* that he understandeth not, that the flesh which God
took hath blood ? And since that God accountoth not that as
another's, but his own, which he took unto himself ; we most
truly say, that God with his own blood redeemed the world.
Whereupon Theodoretus also, bishop of Cyrus, Dialog. Eran. 3,
a littlebefore the end, saith : "If Christ be both God and
man, as both the holy scripture teacheth, and as the most
blessed fathers have always preached, then as man he suffered,
but as God he was not subjectto suffering. But when we
say the body, or flesh, or humanity suffered, we do not

for it united to his human
separate the divine nature : as was
nature, which was hungry and thirsty, and weary, yea, and
slept also, yea, and was vexed with sorrow and heaviness for
the passion which should suffer, abiding indeed none
he of
those, but suffering that to abide the affections and passions
of nature ; even so it was joinedunto him when he was

crucified,and permitted that his passion should be throughly
ended, that by his passion he might suffer death, not feeling
grief truly by his passion, but making his passion agreeable
and convenient for himself as the passion of his temple or
dwelling-place and of his flesh joinedunto him ; by the which
also they that believe are called the members of Christ :
he himself is called the head of those that believe\" Thus

far he.
[3 El Tis eLTTTj, on ev ra
rradei rov
aravpov rrjv 68vvt)u vTrefxfivev 6 Yio?
Tov Qeoii OeoTrfTi,Kai ovxi crapKi Koi XoytK^, dveXajSev ev

''p'vxfi rjvTrep Tij
Tov 8oi)\ov as
e'lprjKevj; ayta
avadep.a earco. Damasi 0pp.
fj.op(f)rj,ypa(})r],
Epist. ad Paulin. Thessalon. Episc. p. 116. Romse, 1638,]
[4 tarn stupidus, Lat. ; dor, a drone. Johnson.]
[5 El 6 Xpio-Tos Koi Geo? kqI avdpcoTios, as /cat r; dela diddcrKeiypacfiT],
Trarepes KrjpvTTovres 8uTe\e(Tav, as
Koi 01 7raV"v(prjpoi avOpairos apa TreVov-
6ev, a5ffSe Qeos 8up.ev"V aTradijs. OTav to
*}
aapa, rrjv crdpKa,
. . .
rjrfjV
dvdpanorrjTa \eyapev,
TreiTovQivai. ttjv deiav ov
"j)v(Tiv
x.'^piôp.fv acrirep
yap rjvaro Treivdcrr]koI diip'dcrr]
kol
Komdatj, koi p.evToi koX KadevSovo'Tj, Ka\
dyaviaar] to
Trades, ov8ev fiev TOVTav crvyxaporJcra 8e ravTij
i"pi(rTaiJ.evr],
8e)(e(TdaLto irddij' ovTa
Trjs(pvcreas avvrJTTTOKoi (TTavpovfiivfi, K.a\ awe-
Of com-
This figure of speech is called of some aWo'iwcn^, alteration
Sf"p"rêr'tfes.
or changing; of John^ Damascenus avTicocri?, mutual giving or
an interchanging of properties. That is wont to be called a
communicating of properties^ to wit, when that property is

given to one nature which is proper to another : as for ex-
johniii. ample; "No man hath ascended up into heaven (saith the
Lord) but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of
man which is in heaven."
Truly, his human nature was not
then in heaven, when the Lord spake this, but in earth : yet
notwithstanding, because flesh is taken into the fellowship of
his Godhead, that which is proper to this is attributed to his
manhood. And bishop Fulgentius, making mention of^ this

interpretation,in his second book to king Thrasimundus hath
thus left written : "He said this, not that the human substance
of Christ is present in every place ; but because one and the
selfsame Son of God and Son of man, very God of the Father
as he is very man of man, though according to his true
humanity he was then locally in earth, yet according to his
be contained in
divinity (whichby no means can
place)he did
wholly fillheaven and earth "*." Thus saith he. Wherefore the
sentences, bearing witness of Christ in the writings of the
evangelists and apostles, are diligently to be marked. For

some are peculiarly referred to his divine nature, as are
these :
"
I and the Father are one." "Before Abraham was,
I am."
"
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and God was that Word." "He is before all things,
the image of the invisible God, by whom all things are
X^^Pî'Tf\e(Ti.ovpyT]6rjvai to
Trddos,Iva Xvarj tco TvaQeitop davarov, advvrjv fiev
dfôfXivr],to Se Trddos olKeiaaafifvrj,cos vaov ye ISiov, Koi
"K Tov
7rd6ov9 ov
crapKos t]vaip."vr]s,St' rjv Koi [xeXr] 'XpiaTov ol TncnevcravTes,
xprjpaTLôvaiv
Koi Tav TrfTTicTTevKOToiv avTos tdvofxacTTai Theodorct. Dcmonstrat.
KefjiaX-f].
"
per Syllog. 0pp. Tom. iv. p. 186. Lutet. Par. 1642"84.]
[1 Joan. Damascen. Orthodoxy Fid. Lib. iii. cap. 3. p. 174. Bas.

1575.]
[2 idiomatum communicatio, Lat.]
[3 agnoscens, Lat. ;
recognising.]
fuisset ubique diffusa, sed
[4 " Non quia liumana Christi substantia
unus idemcpie Dei filius atquo hominis filius, verus Deus ex
quoniam
Patre sicut homo verus ex homine, licet secundum vcram Immanitatem
suam localiter tunc cssetin terra, secundum tamen, divinitatem

quae
loco nuUatenus continetur, coelum totus impleret et terram, Fulgent, "
ad Trasimund. Lib. ii. cap. 17. p. 50. Venet. 1742.]

OF THE COMMUNICATING OF PROPERTIES. 271
VI.]
made." And some are particularly referred to his human

nature, or to the mystery of his embassage or ministration^:
of which sort are these :
"
The Father is greater than I."
"Thou raadest him a littleinferiorto the angels." " My soul is
heavy even to the death." Again, there aretestimonies which
have respect to both natures, but to neither of them severally
do they sufficientlyagree. Such are these : My flesh is
"
meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." I have power "
to forgive sins, to raise to life whom I will, and to give right-

eousness
and holiness. I am the shepherd, the door, the light,
the way, the truth, and the life." "No man cometh to the
Father but by me." For these do set forth and commend
unto us the very substance of Christ, the person I mean of

our Saviour and Mediator, God and man.
true For no man
forgiveth sins but God only. Again, they are not forgiven
without death and shedding of blood, as the apostle witness-
eth in the ninth chapter to the Hebrews. Again, there are
testimonies, which cannot aptly be declared but by communi-
cating
of words^. Touching which I hope this is sufficient.
Again, he doth not divide the person of our Mediator, God The person
and man, whosoever for the unity's sake of natures doth not ""' '''""''ed.
so far extend his humanity as his divinity is"êxtended. For

in the gospel after St Matthew, the Lord goeth not with his Matt. via.
body into the house of the centurion ; whereas yet notwith-

standing
there is no doubt that, his Godhead being present
and not absent, the servant of the centurion was cured of this
disease. And who will say that therefore the person is divided
by St Matthew, for that he hath not extended the humanity
of Christ even unto his divinity ? The

angels, speaking to the
women
concerning the body of Christ risen from the dead
and now glorified,say : He is not here, he is risen." But
"
Mark xvi.
we are not ignorant that his divinity is in every place. And

yet the angels divided not his inseparable person, in that they
did not make equal in all respects the human body of Christ
with his Godhead. The angels themselves^ do not divide the
person of Christ, when, his body being taken up from the [Acts i.ii.]
mount Olivet into heaven, they standing on the earth testify
that he shall come again after the same manner as they saw
[5 sive ad missionem, dispensationisque mysterium, Lat.]

[6 idiomatum, Lat.] [" ut sic dicam, Lat. omitted ; so to
say.]
[81111ipsi angeli, Lat.]
him depart from who dare denythem. But that the Lord
was then also present with them ? Therefore after our Lord
the manner of his very body is in heaven not in earth : but
according to his infiniteGodhead he is everywhere, in heaven
and in earth. Man consisteth of soul and body ; and these

most contrary in natures between themselves make one person,
not two; and whosoever attributcth and defendeth that
which is proper to either of them, doth not divide the person.

The body sleepeth, the soul sleepeth not : these properties of
parts make not two persons. Hereunto seemeth to belong

that which Theodoret hath left written in his third Dialogue,
saying ; TVe do not divide the natural unity of the soul and
"
the body, neither separate we the souls from their own proper
bodies: but consider those things which properly belong to
their natures. Therefore when the scripture saith, And '
devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great

lamentation over him ;' wilt thou say that his soul was buried
with his body ? I think not. And when thou shalt hear
Jacob the patriarch saying, Bury ye me with my fathers,'
*
thou dost understand that to be spoken of his body, not of his

soul. Again thou dost read, ' There they buried Abraham
and Sarahis wife,' "c. In which speech the scripture doth
not make mention of the body, but in all points signifieththe

soul and body together. But we rightly divide and say, that
the souls are immortal, and that the bodies only of the patri-
archs
are buried in the double cave. Even so we also are wont
to say, In this or that place this or that man was buried.
We do not say, this man's body, or that man's body, but this
man or that man ; for whosoever is wêllin his wits knoweth
we speak of the body. So
whereas the evangelists so times
often-
make mention of Chrisfs body buried, at the length
they set down the name of the person and say, that Jesus
was buried and laid in the graved" "c. Thus far Theo-
doret.
[} 'Opd. OvSe "?/ietf,w dya6e, Siaipovjiev evaxriv, aXXa deapovfiev Ta

ti)v
Twv 'idea. ovv tj 6eia Xeyrj IvveKop-icrav be tov
(pvaecov . .
."Orav ypa(f)i),
in avra,
^Tecpavov
avdpfi "vXa/36?f,Koi enoirja-av Konerop fxtyav Ka\ tû
f'lTTOi av Tis jnera Tov ;
(rcafxaroi irapabeboa-dai Tacf)]} Epav. Ov BrJTa.
ylfvxrjv
'Op6. Kai orav aKova-rjs 'laK")/3
tov Trarpiapxov
Xeyovros, Qd'ârefxe /xera rciv
ravra ; Epav.
Trarepccv p.ov, vrepl (Tcofxaros rj irepX '^v^^rjs TOTTuêis
tlprjadai
ArjXov "as 'Op6. 8e
Xi'ayi'coî koi ra 'Epav. Ek"i
TTfpt auparos. fîjs.
'AfSpaap.,
k'da'âv Ka\ '2dppav Tijv yvvalKa avToii. . . .
'Op6. OuS' ev tovtois . . .
OF THE COMMUNICATING OF PROPERTIES. 273
VI.]
since it is without controversy, that this faith and

And
doctrine from Christ's time even unto our age hath flou-
rished in the holy church of God, and against innumerable

assaults of Satan and heretics hath remained most stedfast;
and the selfsame is delivered and confirmed by testimonies of
scripture and consents^ of holy councils; I exhort you, dearly
beloved, that, calling on the name of Christ, you may perse-
vere
and continue in the same doctrine, and being joinedby
true faith and obedience to Christ, very God and man, you
may give continual thanks, worshipping him that reigneth for
ever.
OF CHRIST, KIXG AND PRIEST ; OF HIS ONLY AND

EVERLASTING KINGDOM AND PRIESTHOOD;
AND OF THE NAME OF A
CHRISTIAN.
THE SEVENTH SERMOX.
I declared unto you, dearly beloved, that Christ

HAVE
Jesus our Lord is very God and man : which

will bring more
plentifulprofit,if we understand what the fruit of that thing
is ; which is chiefly known by the officesof Christ our Lord.
He is king and priest of the people of God ; therefore he
hath a kingdom and a priesthood : which things if we shall
somewhat more diligently consider, they shall declare unto
us the exceeding great benefit of the divinity and humanity
of Christ.
Christ Jesus is a king ; therefore he is Lord of all,ruler Christ
and governor of all things which are in heaven and in earth, of ai'u"
and speciallyof the catholic church itself, which is the com-
munion
of saints. And forsomuch as he is King and Lord,
truly by his royal or kingly office he is the deliverer or
preserver, the revenger and defender, and, finally, the lawgiver
of his elect. For he crushed the serpent's head, the
LXe'xf.
77 deia
(rcofiaTos e[j.vrjfi6vev(rev aWa
ypac^ri'
Sm toiv ovonarav rrjv "^vx']V
'Hêty
Ofxov Koi TO (Tafia eSijXou. fxivroLbiaipovfiev
opdas, koi ras
(papev
ddavarovs eivai, fiova 8e rav
iraTpiap-âv to. (Taip.aTa iv tm bnikco
yJAVâs
"nTT]\aia
KaTareBrjvai Theodoret. Dial. III. 0pp. Tom. IV. pp. 129, 130.
Lutet. Par. 1642.]'
[2 symbolis, Lat.]
[bULLINGER,
III.]
strong and most cruel enemy of Goirs people ; whom when

he had conquered he bound and spoiled, lie delivered tho
elect out of the power of darkness, and set them into the
1 Pet. ii. liberty of the of God ; that we
sons might be his peculiar
people, sanctified through the blood of our king, a purchased
people, to serve him in righteousness and holiness. He is
humble, loving, and gentle ; which the history of the gospel
also out of Zachary rehearseth of him, Matth. xxi. He watch-

eth for he defendeth and guardeth us, he cnricheth us
us,
with all manner of good things, and furnisheth us against our

armour,
enemies with spiritual and giveth us abundantly
power to resistand to overcome. He hath purged the tem-
ple
of God, casting out the Canaanites^; he hath cancelled
unrighteous laws, he hath delivered from them ; and now

us
he ruleth and governeth us with the sceptre of his mouth,

exceeding good and most justlaws being proclaimed. For
he is God and man ; therefore he is the only monarch, the
Christ is a King of kiugs, and the Lord of lords: for he hath all the
kings and rulers in the world unto him ; some verily subject
of their own
accord, through faith,being obedient ; and other,
though striving and rebelling against him, made by
subject
Psai. ii. his power. And therefore saith the prophet David : Be "
wise, O ye kings, be learned, ye that are judgesof the earth;

serve with fear, and rejoice
the Lord unto him with reverence.
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and so ye perish from the
right way^." For in another place the same prophet saith:

Psii. ex. "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord will
send forth the rod of his power out of Sion ; be thou ruler
even in the midst among thine enemies." Esay also,bringing
isai. xiix. in the Lord speaking, saith :
"
I will hft up my hands unto
the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people^; and
they shall bring thee their sons
upon their shoulders : for
kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and queens shall be thy
nursins: mothers." Which thing- ecclesiastical
historiesdeclare
more largely. Of this king Christ the prophets prophesying
Isai. xvi. said :
"
And in mercy shall the seat be prepared ; and he
[I Cf. Vol. II. p. 45, n. p. 153, n. 8 ; and sec BuUingcr.

7, and in
Apocalyps. Cone. xxi. p. 68, and Cone, xxviii. p. 76, and Cone. Lxxviii.
p. 245. Basil, 1557.]

[-in via, Lat.] [3 inter populos, Lat.]
OF CHRIST A KING. 275
VII.]
shall sit uponit in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging
and seeking judgment, and making haste unto righteousness."

And again: "Behold, the time coineth, saith the Lord, that I Jer. xxiii.
will raise up the righteous Branch of David, which king

shall bear rule ; and he shall prosper with wisdom, and shall
set up equity and righteousness again in the earth. In this
time^ shall Juda be saved, and Israel shall dwell without fear :
and this is the name that they shall call him, The Lord our
Righteousness."
And because our Lord is a king, therefore he must needs or the king-
have a kingdom. As well the realm and dominion to

subject
a king is called a kingdom, as principality,empire, power, and
manner of government itself. Therefore the church, the com-
munion
fellowship of saints, being obedient and
or to
subject
their king Christ, is called the kingdom of God. For Micheas
saith, And the Lord shall reign over them in mount Sion :"
"
mic. iv.
therefore Sion (which signifieththe church)is the kingdom

of God. is said to reign, when in the church he
And God
ruleth, governeth, keepeth, and defendeth those that be his,

and endueth and maketh them fruitful with diver-s graces.
For Paul saith, '"'
is not meat and drink,
The kingdom of God
but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
Moreover the kingdom of God is that eternal glory and
fehcity which God doth communicate to his elect. For the
Lord saith in the gospel, Come, ye blessed of my Father, Jiatt. xxv.
"
inherit the kingdom which is prepared for you from the be-
ginning
of the world." And the thief even at point of
death making his prayer to the Lord, who
ready to was
die on and desiring to be partaker of this king-

the cross, dom,
saith, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into Luke xxm.
thy kingdom." Again, since the gospel teacheth us how God
reigneth in us in this world, in time to translate us unto

himself into that other ; that is, since the gospel is that thing
by which the Lord reareth up his dominion ; it is not unadvisedly
called of Matthew, in his thirteenth chapter, the
kingdom of God^ In another place, for the same cause it is
of the kingdom." To be short,

"
called the word we at this
present by the kingdom of God understand the congregation
["*
So also ed. 1584 : but ed. 1577, in Ms time.]
[5 Our Lord's phrase in Matthew is,The kingdom of heaven : in
the other Evangelists, of God.]
18"2
of saintsitself,the catholic church, I mean, and the power

or administration of God reigning therein, that is,preserving,
governing, and glorifying the same.
The kingdom And this kingdom of God is verily but only one; for
"^
?s is but one God only, one king Christ only, one
oJTeVi^there church,
considered,
and life cvcrlasting. But this one kingdom of God ing
accord-
to the dispensation of the same is considered two ways :
first, according to the omnipotency of God ; for he, since
he is the highest and omnipotent, hath and executeth over
all creatures, visible and invisible,most justrule and equal
power, nill they or will they be obedient : secondly, ac-
cording
to his Spirit,whereby he reigneth in his elect. And
so the kingdom of God is again two ways considered : for
either it is earthly, and is called the kingdom of grace ; or

else it is heavenly, and is called the kingdom of glory.
God's king- xhe earthly kinffdom of grace is not therefore called
dom of grace .
earthly, as though it were carnal and earthly, like the king-

dom
in earth.
of Babylon, Persia, Alexandria, or Rome ; but because it

is on earth. good part of the holy church of God is
For a
conversant on this earth, being partaker of flesh and blood

while it liveth on the earth, though it live not an earthly
life according to the flesh ; for according to the Spirit,
it is ruled, it liveth a heavenly life. Not that the
whereby
of God sin not : for
"
Prov^xxhr. partakers of the kingdom the just
man falleth and riseth seven times in a day." Whereupon
it is also called the kingdom of grace : for as long as
wc live in this world, our king and Lord never denieth his
How Christ grace and mercy to us that crave pardon. And the faithful
reiffiiGth on , ,
earth in his do wholly liaug upou the grace of their king : they embrace^
kingdom.
continual repentance, and endeavour themselves to things

of more perfectness ; for they frame all that they do according
to the laws of their king and prince. For he eth
reign-
in his elect by the word of truth, and by the Holy
Ghost. By of truth he teacheth what the saints
the word
should do, and what they should avoid : by his Holy Spirit
he moveth their hearts, and giveth strength to fly evil and
follow that is good. For truly our king reigneth not so much
for himself as for us :for he maketh us also kings, that we,
being delivered from the devil, damnation, sin, and the curse,
may be lords over the devil,damnation, sin, and the curse,
[1agunt, Lat.l
VII.] OF CHUIST A KING. 277
yea, and over all things ; and joint-heirs

with the Son of God
himself.
For these causes of God is called a spi-The spiritual
the kingdom
ritual kingdom. For the partakers of the kingdom of God, ôS.
endued with the Spirit of God, do bring forth the fruits of
the Spirit,not the works of the flesh; and, to be short, are
governed with the Spirit of God. Neither truly doth our

Lord reign after the manner of the kings of this world, say-
ing
to Pilate, "
My kingdom is not of this world." Which
sentence some abuse, gathering that there is no outward

government in the church of God : under which name they
also take away the officeof a magistrate; and speak so subtilly
of the kingdom of God, that a man cannot tell where the
kingdom of God is, or who be partakers of this kingdom.
They understand not that the meaning must be gathered upon
the occasion of that saying. The Jews, accusing the^ Lord
before Pilate, laid to his charge that he ambitiously sought
after a kingdom. Lord, clearing himself of this crime,
The
sheweth Pilate that his kingdom shall not be such a one

which, after he had cast out Tiberius Crcsar, should be gotten
and kept with arms, and be governed after the manner of
this world. Declaring that, he addeth ;
"
If my kingdom were Johnxviii.
I
of this world, then would my servants surely fight, that
inferreth,
should not be delivered to the Jews." Therefore he
"
But is my kingdom not from hence :" and therefore
now
they fight not for me, to place me in the throne of the king-
dom,
Tiberius being cast out. And anon he saith : "
For this
cause was I born, and for this cause came I into the world,
that I should bear witness unto the truth : and all that are of
the truth hear my voice." As therefore Christ by truth
(notby lying, deceits,and crafty practices,hke the princes of
this prepareth himself a kingdom ; so by truth he doth
world)
both retain and govern his kingdom : and whosoever embrace
truth are partakers of Christ's kingdom, whether they be
princes or of the commonalty : all these obey the voice of

their King, and serve their highest Prince.
Here
nevertheless we expressly add, that kings can no
otherwise serve their Lord and King than kings, that is, in
doing those things which kings ought to do, namely, to execute
judgment and justice. For albeit these be in the world, yet
rule they not after the world, because they are now governed
278 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SEKM.
by the Spirit of their King Christ, and direct all their doings
to the prescript rules of God's word, and in all things yield
themselves to be guided by the Spirit of God : and so far
surely their kingdom is not of this world. Of these things I
have elsewhere cited much out of St Augustine according to
the scripture^ And our King Christ defendeth his church
and his ministers sometime by the aid of princes ; sometimes
he preserveth and spreadeth abroad the same lying open
to persecutions through infirmity and weakness : for it is
pressed down, but not oppressed, or kept under still; Christ
the mightiest prince always reigning and overcoming in those
that be his.
The bounds Now the bounds of this earthly kingdom of Christ reach
of Christ's
parts of the earth ; for all the kingdoms

kingdom in the uttermost
unto
earth.
of the world and all nations pertain unto the kingdom of

Christ. Hereunto belong all the testimonies of the prophets
touching the callingof the Gentiles-, whereof thou mayest find
very many in Esay and Zachary, Avho excellently describe
the kingdom of Christ in earth. Whereupon the Jews took
occasion to feign I wot not how great and glorious things of
the and victories of the Messias, which nevertheless
majesty
long since abundantly fulfilled
were in Christ, but more ually
spirit-
than carnally. But they, while they dream of and look
for carnal things, loathe spiritual,and lose both. But the
faithful, through the bountifulness and liberality of Christ
their King, most obtain those good things which
abundantly
the prophets promised, namely, plentifulpeace both with God
and men, and all kind of felicity; always to be blessed,
always to be safe (thoughthey fight from all
continually)
enemies, well visible as also invisible,and to enjoyeverlast-
as ing
salvation. Which things the prophets in their writings
have set forth in a most large kind of style,yet understanding
nothing else than as even now we said ; that the faithful shall
be most happy, and shall possess in Christ all good giftsboth
of soul and body, as much indeed as is necessary and health-

ful
for the saints. And this is that kingdom (now we under-
stand
both, as well that of grace as this of
glory)which that
Joseph of Aramathia, justSimeon, and Anna the prophetess,
with other saints,awaited and looked for. This same kino;dom

Philip the deacon preached to them of Samaria, and St Paul
[1Vol. I. pp. 365-369.] [2 omnium gentium, Lat.]

OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 279
VII.]
the apostle to them of Rome : which thing Luke doth testify-

in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter viii.and xxviii.
But the seat or throne and^ palace of our king is heaven. The seat of
For he ascended conqueror into heaven, and sittcth at the

a Christ."'^'
right hand of God the Father almighty : from thence as the

sun of rio-hteousness he shineth to allwhich live in his church,
or in his kingdom ; yea, and he chooscth the hearts of the
faithful to himself Avherein he may dwelH. Furthermore,
that we may understand our king, though not corporally
present in earth but ascended into heaven, not therefore to

be absent from his kingdom ; he verily in his word compareth
himself to the head and us to the body or the members.
iVow therefore as the body is
without never the head, so
the kingdom of God is not without Christ the prince. And
as the vital spirit from the heart, and the power or
virtue
of feeling and moving from the head, is poured into the body:
so are we quickened or made alive by our prince Christ ; he
justifying,
preserving, comforting, confirming, and defending
us from
all evil. As all the members are ruled by the head,
so all the faithful in the kingdom of Christ are governed
by their king Christ. Paul therefore saith : " God raised Fp'ic?. i.
Christ from the dead, and set him on his right hand in hea-
venly
places, far above all rule, and power, and might ^ and
every name that is named, not only in this world, but also
in the
world to come ; and hath put all things under his
feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the
church, which is his body, the fulness of him that fiUeth all
in all." Of which kind there are very many other to be
found in the writings of the apostles : first of all^ that
"
Christ is the head of the church, and he it is which EpUcs. v.
giveth salvation to the body ; for he gave himself for the

church, to sanctify it when he had cleansed it in the fountain
of water in the word, that he might present it unto himself a
glorious church," "c.
And thus much hitherto of the kingdom of Christ in

so.]
[4 Alioqui nuUam in terris sedem vel palatium regni habet, Lat.
omitted ; Otherwise, he has no seat or palace of his kingdom upon
earth.]
[5et dominium, Lat. omitted ; and dominion.]
[6 in primis, Lat. ; especially.]
earth, which is both called the kingdom of grace and the

church militant.
Godsking- Moreover the kingdom of God is called the kingdom of
in hea^ven.""^^ hcaven
and of glory for that occasion, because those whom
our Lord and king hath sanctifiedon earth, and guided with
being delivered from the
his Spirit,yea, and also justified,
flesh and taken out of this world he glorifiethin heaven,
and receiveth them into joy and into the fellowship both of
himself and of all the saints. For the souls of the faithful,
even as soon as they depart out of their bodies, are forth-
with
received into heaven, to reign with Christ the everlasting

King, and for ever to
rejoice with all the saints. But in the
lastjudgment, wherewith we beUeve that the quick and dead
shall be judgedof Christ our king, the bodies of the saints
shall be raised up, clarified^ coupled again to their souls;
and how many soever have cleaved unto Christ their king
from the beginning of the world shall live for ever and reign
in glory together with Christ their king and prince. Of
this kingdom of the saints the prophets and apostles have
and chiefly the apostle St John in his Reve-
lation.
Rev.xxi. "
spoken much,
Some have called this kingdom the church trium-
phant.
The kingdom TMs kinojdom

O of Christ, is an everlasting
of God, '
or
O '
of Christ is .
aneveria^t- kiugdom
O
: for as even to the world's end the church shall
ing kingdoin.
be on earth, howsoever this world and the prince of the
world do rage ; so the faithfulafter judgmentshall live and
reign with Christ, happy for ever both in body and soul.
Mauxxi'v.
^^^"Lord saith in the gospel : "The gates of hell shall
"^*^^*
not prevail against the church." Also the last times shall
be as the days of Noe were, wherein, though the wicked did
far in number exceed the church of the faithful,yet Noe and
his weresaved in the ark, but the wicked were destroyed
with the flood : in such sort surely shall iniquity by all means
prevail in the end of the world ; but in the meanwhile those
that areelected into the kino;dom of Christ shall be saved
by Christ, whom they shall look for to be their judge,and
shall see their Redeemer coming in the clouds of heaven.
Dan. vii. Daniel also in his prophecy describeth the rising and falling
of all kingdoms and of antichrist also, but attributeth no

end to the kingdom of the saints or holy people, but wit-
[1 See Vol. I. pp. 172-17G.]
OF THE KIXGD03I OF GOD. 281
VII.j
nessctli that it shall bo everlasting. The same doth the

For
prophet Zachary also in his twelfth chapter. the saints
from the
reign on the earth by Christ ; and, being translated
king
earth into heaven, they shall reign together with their
Christ for ever. And the scripture is wont oftentimes to
speak of one of these kingdoms only. Of both these king-
doms
we understand many places of scripture : first of all,
that which is spoken by our Saviour : When
"
ye pray, say, Matt. vi.
Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come." pray that he would reign in

For we
us while we live on earth, that we also may reign over the
world and the prince of the world ; and that we be not ruled
by Satan, neither that sin reign in us ; but rather that we,
here being governed by himself, may in time to come reign
with Christ in heaven.
Contrariwise, what manner of kingdom the kingdom of TheîynRdom
the world is, it appeareth by considering the head or the b""
king and prince thereof, which is the devil, the author of

o/'one"!?
sin, of uncleanness, and of death. He reigneth in the world,
the prince doubtless of the kingdom of darkness. Not that
God and his Christ is not king of all things ; but because
unfaithful apostates,through their own proper malice, revolting

from God to the devil,do appoint him for the prince 2; to
whom even accord they submit and yield them-

of their own selves
to be governed, living in all ungodhness, wickedness,
and uncleanness ; framing themselves like to their head the

devil ; with whom they shall be punished everlastingly in the
world to come, as in this world they have suffered themselves
to be governed of him, doing his will.
This " prince of this world," elsewhere also called " The l^cm^'iv.
^ "'"
god of this world," hath Christ the true king and monarch of "'"''"
the world overcome, and hath destroyed his kingdom: not
that he should not be as long as this world endureth, but that
he should not hurt the elect. Satan doth live and shall live
for ever, howbeit in misery, (which life in very deed is
but
death), power against them that be redeemed
he hath no
by Christ the prince. He hath and shall have a kingdom

even unto the end of the world, but in the children of un-
behef. This kingdom also in this world is in decaying, and as
[2 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, their prince. Sibi principem,
Lat.]
it "were momentany and for

short time ; for the world
a
passeth away, and all worldly things perish. But all the elect
of God are very strangers from this kingdom ; yea, they are
as it were sworn enemies of this kingdom. Neither can the
prince of darkness by his power put away the partakers of
the kingdom of Christ into his kingdom of iniquity. Truly,
he goeth about this diligently,and with divers temptations
vexeth the elect : but those overcome through him which

in time past vanquished that false king and prince of thieves,
and taught us that, despising this filthy prince and the world
and the lusts of the world, giving our minds to innocency,
we should yield ourselves to that good Spirit to be governed.
These things have I thus far declared, as briefly as I
could, touching the king Christ and his only and everlasting
kingdom.
Christ Jesus And uow I;ord is a priest, yea, that chiefest.
Christ our
Priest.
only, and everlasting priest,whom the high priests of the old
people did prefigure and shadow out. For David in his song
Piai. ex.
altogether divine saith: The Lord sware,
"
and will not repent
him, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchize-
dek." Which words the blessed apostle alleging and ex-poundin
in his epistle to the Hebrews, hath left these words
Heb. vii. written :
"
The forerunner (saith he) is for us entered into
heaven, after the order of Melchizedek made a priest for
Gen. xiv. evcr. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the
most high God, who met Abraham coming from the slaughter
of kings, and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave the
tenths of all things; who firstindeed is called by interpretation
the king of righteousness, then also king of Salem, which is,
king of peace ; of an unknown father, of an unknown mother,
of an unknown kin, neither having beginning of days, nor end
of life,but likened to the Son of God, remaineth a priest for
ever^" Surely our Lord Jesus Christ is both a righteous
and peaceable king, and the righteousness and peace of the

faithful: and he is that everlasting priest, who according
to his humanity is believed to be born of the virgin without
seed of man, and therefore of an unknown father ; and accord-

ing
to his divinitybegotten of the Father, and therefore of an
unknown unspeakably begotten from everlast-
mother ; and ing,
and therefore of unknown kin, having neither beginning
[1 Erasmus' version.]
OF CHRIST A I'UIEST. 283
VII.]
nor end of life. For albeitaccording to liishumanity ho was
dead and buried, yet according to his divinity he remaineth
God immortal and everlasting. The selfsame which is a king
is also acknowledged a priest, not according to the order of
Aaron, but according to the order of Melchizedck. For as
the scripture remembereth this one a priest ; so one Christ
remaineth priest for ever, having an everlasting priesthood.
But high priests in time past were called and anointed ; they
did not thrust themselves into such an office by force or
deceit. AVhercupon the apostle said: "No man takcth theiieb.v.
honour to himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
So also Christ took not glory to himself to be made high
priest, but is made and confirmed of him who said unto him.
Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. As he saith Psai. u.
also in another place : Thou art a priest for ever after the
order of Melchizedek." But thou dost nowhere read that our
priest was anointed with visible oil: for he was anointed with Christ is
invisibleoil,namely, with the fulness of the Holy Ghost ; as the
prophet witnesseth : "Thy God^ hath anointed thee with the Psai.xiv.
oil of gladness above thy fellows." And again: "The Spirit isai. ixi.
of the Lord upon me : for the Lord hath anointed me, and
sent me to preach
good tidings unto the poor."
Furthermore, when we read that the office of priests in
times past was to serve in the tabernacle, to teach the people,
to make intercession between God and men, to pray for the
people and to bless them, to sacrificealso,and to consecrate or
sanctify ; and that now it is manifest that Jesus Christ is the
lawful priest; it is certain that he is tied to the selfsame offices,
but indeed to so much more excellent than these by how
much he hath obtained a more excellent priesthood. Those how Christ
priests after the order of Aaron served in the corruptible and doth the
"\ , ,
"""
.
offices of
figurative tabernacle : but our Lord, being taken up into the " P"est.
true tabernacle, heaven itself,ministereth to all the saints of

God. For heaven and the church of saints is the true taber-
nacle
and temple of our high priest. Christ our priest is the chnstthe
only and everlasting teacher and master of his universal the church,
church. For not only that age hath he so taught, which lived
in the days of his fliesh; but the Spirit of Christ was in the
prophets, by whom now also he ruleth all the seats^ of his

catholic church. Christ himself as yet speaketh unto us, and
[2Deus, Deus tuus, Lat.] p cathedras, Lat.]

284 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SEUM.
"willspeak even the end of the world, by the mouth or

unto
writings of the holy apostles and all teachers preaching the
doctrine of the apostles. And this doctrine is sufficientfor the
catholic church ; for it comprehendeth all those things fully

Christ
Avhich pertain to the holy' and happy life. Christ our high
iiiaketh inter-
cession.
priest maketh intercessionfor all the saints in his own temple.

For he, being the only advocate and patron of all the faithful,
prayeth to the Father for us on the right hand of God ; for
he ascended unto the right hand of God the Father, that he
should always appear there in the presence of God, to follow
^
all our suits faithfully: of which thing I have spoken more
3,
at large in my last sermon where I entreated of invocation
Christ
and intercession. The same our Lord only blesseth us. For
blesseth.
he was made a malediction and curse for us, that we might be
blessed in him, according to that notable and ancient pro-
[Gen.xxii.]
phocy : "In thy seed shall all the nations of the world be
Christ sacri- blessed." Moreover Christ our Lord sacrificethfor us : for he
ficeth.
offereth incense when he maketh supplication for us, and ap-
peareth on the right hand of God. And he offeretha sacrifice
for sins unto the living God, not a sacrificeof a beast, but him-
self,
always an effectualsacrifice,to make satisfaction for all the
sins of the people. Whereof since I have entreated abundantly

in the treatise of ceremonies^, here of purpose I am the briefer.
Christ Again, since our Lord Jesus Christ is the holy of holiest,doubt-
less
sanctifieth.
he sanctifiethand consecrateth his catholicchurch, anointing
it with the oil of the Holy Ghost, that we may be made both
holy and priests to offer spiritualsacrificesto God. For we
read that that holy ointment, poured on Aaron's head, ran

down to his beard, and even to the skirts of his clothing.
For Christ,the high priest of his universal church, poureth his
Spirit well upon them that are very far off as upon them
as
that are near at hand ; for he crieth in the gospel : "If any
man thirsteth, let him come unto me and drink. He that
believeth on the scripture hath said, out of his belly
me, as
shall flow rivers of water of life." And again :

"
For their
sakes sanctify I myself, that they also might be sanctified in

the truth."
[1 So also cd. 1584: but cd. 1577, a holy.]

[2 negotia exequatur, Lat.]
[3 Sermon" (notthe last,but) v. pp. 212"219.]
[4Vol. n. Decade iii. Sermon v.]
OF CHRIST A PRIEST. 285
VII.]
To be
short, when wc say and confess that Jesus
Christ is the priest or bishop^ of the faithful people, we say
this ; that Christ is our chosen and appointed teacher and mas-
ter,
to govern and teach his universal church, to make inter-
cession
and to plead all our suits*'faithfullybefore the

for us,
Father in heaven ; which is the only patron, mediator, and
with God ; who by the sacrificeof his

advocate of the fiiithful
body is the perpetual and only satisfaction,absolution, and
justification
of all sinners throughout the whole world^; who
consecrateth into priests those that believe, that they also
might offer to God the Father through Jesus Christ acceptable
sacrifices,and might be the house and tabernacle of God.
Out of this it shall be easy to judge what manner of ofchrisfs
priesthood Christ's is, who is our high priest and bishop.
His priesthood is the very office or very function and work-
ing
of the priest,whereby Christ the priest himself executeth
all things in heaven and in the catholic church, which be-long
to his priestly ofiice. Wherefore it must needs be,
that this priesthood of Christ high bishop is not visible
our
and corporal, but altogether spiritual. For very well saith

Christ were priest,if he were the earth :" where "eb.
"
Paul, no on viii.
they that of the tribe of Levi do minister in the taber-

are nacle
or temple ; where there is a temple or tabernacle with
manifold holy garments and vessels. But Christ our Lord
is of the tribe of Juda ; born, I say, of a royal tribe : albeit
we are ignorant in the meanwhile, that the royal tribe,
not
that is, the tribe of Juda, and the priestly tribe, that is,
the tribe of Levi, were mingled together ; for we
i. so.]
read [ûke
that Elizabeth, which was of the daughters of Aaron, was
cousin to the Virgin, the mother of God, she being of the
,
line of David. Neither is our Lord read at any time to
have used the temple or the holy vessels in his ministery.
For although sometime he taught in the temple, yet he
taught not only in the same. He never sacrificed in the
temple at the holy altars either of incense or of burnt-offer-
ings.
He never used priestlygarments, which were figurative;
whereof I spake when I expounded the ceremonial laws^.
[s summum pontificem, Lat.] [^negotia agat, Lat.]

[" omnium peccatorum totius mundi, Lat.; of all the sins of the
whole world.]
[8 Vol. II. Decade iii. Serm.
v.]
2S6 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sEIiM.
Therefore, when he would sacrificefor the satisfactionof the

sins of the Avhole world, he suffered without the gate, and
offered himself a lively and niost holy sacrifice,according

as the shadows or types, prophecies and figures foreshowed
in the law of Moses : whereof in hke manner entreated I have
in the discourse of the ceremonial laws. when he had And
offered the sacrifice of his body, he ascended into heaven,

and sitteth at the right hand of the Father, that from thence
he may give light unto his church, and there appear always
for us in the presence of God the Father. And therefore
he doth now
corporally execute
not his priestly office on
earth, in like sort teaching us now as in the days of his

flesh he taught the men of his age. For now he doth minate
illu-
with his Spirit the minds of his, and daily repaireth

or reneweth the evangelical doctrine of the apostles ; and jet,
for all that, he himself speaketh by the mouth
of them that
teach and preach the gospel. He blesseth us from heaven,
that is to say, he enricheth us with all heavenly blessings.
Of him the apostle speaking saith : "
And the anointing,
which ye have received of him, dwelleth in you ; and ye
need not that any man teach you ; but as the same anointing
teacheth you of all things, and it is true and not lying, and
as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in it\" Of him the
divine prophet speaking saith : I will pour water "
upon the
thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground : I will pour my
Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thy stock 2," (or
buds they shall grow together like as the grass, and as
"
:)
the willows by the water's side." By which words we learn
that Christ our high priest hath no
need of a bishop, suf-
fragan,
vicar in his church ; for he himself is present
or
with his church, and governeth it by his Spirit. The same

self-
Christ, at the right hand of the Father in heaven, doth
not oftentimes humbly
so fall down on his knees and mako
intercession for us as we do sin. " In the days of his flesh,
when he did offer up prayers and supplications^, with strong

crying and tears, he was once heard in that which he feared*."
[} manete in ea, Lat. ; and Erasmus, and Bibl. Lat. Tigur. 1544,
Marg. Auth. Ver.]

[2 So Coverdale,
1535 ; stirpem tuam, Lat. and Vulg.]
[3 pro nobis, Lat. omitted ; for

us.]
[* exauditus est a Patre pro revercntia, Lat.; Erasmus' Version.]
VII.] OF CHKIST HIS PRIESTHOOD. 287
For now he always appcarcth for in the presence of God.

us
All our matters

manifest arc in his sight ; and the Father
beholdeth the face of his Christ, for whose sake he is pleased
with all his members, hearing them and ffivincjthem what-

soever healthful things they require, according to that saying
of our "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever

Saviour: joim xvi.
ye shall ask the Father in my name, he shall give it you."

Therefore here we must imagine no turmoils, no molestation,
no labour wherewith he should
be wearied which is the in-
tercessor,
advocate, and priest of all before God the Father

in heaven : whereof also I put you in mind in my last
sermon,
where I entreated of invocation and intercession^
AVherefore our priest, executing his officebefore God in hea-
ven,
hath altar of incense, no censer,
need of no no holy
vessels or garments : much less hath he need of the altar of
burnt-offerings; for on the cross, which was his altar, he
offered up himself but once for all. Neither was there any
mortal man worthy to offer to the living God the living Son
of God. And that only sacrificeis always effectual to make
satisfactionfor all the sins of all men in the whole world.
And in the discourse of the ceremonial laws I
though
have alleged many testimonies touching these things, yet I
cannot stay myself here, but must cite unto you some that
be notable. For this matter, wherein the fruit of Christ's
divinity and humanity, to be short, all our
salvation consisteth,
cannot worthily and diligently enough be printed in men's
hearts. Paul unto the Hebrews, speaking of the priests of
the old Testament, and comparing Christ our high priest
with them, yea, by preferring him, saith : And

"
all means [Heb. vii.
among them many were made priests,because they were not
suffered to endure by reason of death. But Christ, because

he endureth for hath
everlasting," or unchangeable^,
ever, an
priesthood, for that it doth not pass over by

"
to another
succession. Wherefore he is able also perfectly to save them

that come him, seeing he ever
unto God by liveth to make
intercession for them. For such an high priest it became
us to have, (whichis)holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from
sins", and made higher than the heavens : which needed not
[5 See above, p. 219.]

[6 immigrabilo, Lat. See Vol. ii. p. 195, n, 3.]
["^
a peccatoribus, Lat.]
daily, as those high priests,to offer up sacrifice,firstfor his

own sins, and then for the people's ; for that did he once,
Heb. ix.
when he offered up himself." And again he saith : " Christ
is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which
are the similitudesof the true sanctuary, but into heaven
itself,to appear now in the sight of God for us : not that
he should offer himself often, as the high priests^ entered
into the holy places every year in strange"
(orwith other)
"
blood ; for then must he have often suffered since the
foundation of the world : but now in the end of the world
hath he appeared once, to put away sin by the sacrificeof
himself. And as it is appointed unto men that they shall
once die, and after that cometh the judgment; even so Christ,
once offered to take away the sins of many, the second time
shall be seen without sin of them which wait for him unto
Heb. X.
salvation." And again the same Paul saith : "Every priest
appeareth daily ministering, and oftentimes offereth one man-
ner
of offering,which can never take away sins: but this

man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, sitteth for
ever at the right hand of God, and from henceforth tarrieth
tillhis enemies be made his footstool. For with one offering
"
hath he made perfect," or consecrated, for ever them that
are sanctified." All these sayings hitherto are the apostle
Paul's. And I think that these testimonies are not to be
made manifest and agreeable to our purpose by a larger
interpretation; for they are all even without any exposition
^
of ours most evident, and very aptly agree to the matter
which we have in hand. For they do plainly set forth and
lay before our eyes to behold the whole priesthood of Christ,
specially that which belongeth to the intercession and the

only and everlasting sacrifice or satisfaction for sins. It
belongeth also to the same priesthood to consecrate priests
unto God all the faithful: not that we should offer for the
satisfactionof sins, but that we should offer our prayers,
thanksgivings, and ourselves, and the duties of godhness as
it were every moment. For St John the apostle and evan-
Bev. i.
gelist saith :
"
Jesus Christ, prince of the kings of the earth,
loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and
made us kings and priests unto God and his Father." We

1 Pet. ii.
may find the same sentence also in the epistle of St Peter.
[1 pontifex, Lat.] [- quam apcrtissime, Lat.]

OF THE NAME OF A CHRISTIAN. 289
VII.]
So that in these-' we may see what fruit riscth and flowcth
unto us from the divinity and humanity of Christ our king
and high priest. For he could not be prince of kings and
high priest,unless he were God and man.
Here this place requireth to speak somewhat of the name ofti.e
of a Christian,and of the duties of a christian man. christian.
"We have the name of Christians of Christ,to whom being

unseparably knit we the members of that body whereof
are
he is head. And Christ is not his proper name (forhe is

but
called Jesus), a name of office,derived from the Greek
word -y^pia/jia, which signifieth anointing^; so Christ signi-
fieth as much as anointed. Therefore Tertullian saith, it is
not a proper name, but a name attributed. And he addeth,
"Anointed is no more a name than clothed or apparelled, a
thing accident to the But the kings and high-priests
name^."
were anointed with oil; therefore Christ signifieth unto us

him that is king, high-priest, or bishop. And because we
are named Christians of Christ, who hath anointed us with
the Holy Ghost, truly we also are kings and priests. Where christians
kings and ' '
are
, f, , -I c r ^
you may see how great a benefit we have received of Christ, priests.
God and IVIan; for he hath made us kings and priests.
We see what the duty of Christiansis; namely, to maintain
this dignity even to the last gasp, lest it be taken from us
again by Satan. Furthermore if we be kings, we are lords christians are
over things, and arefree, ruling, not ruled or in :

subjection
free, I say, from sin and everlastingdeath, and from all un-
cleanness; lords over Satan, prince of this world, and over
the world itself. For we rule the world and the flesh : we
are not ruled by them. Hereunto belong those words of the
apostle : Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that ye Kom.
"
vi.
should thereunto obey by the lusts of it. Neither give ye

your members as instruments (or of unrighteousness weapons)
unto sin : but give yourselves unto God, as they that are alive
from the dead, and your members as instruments (or
weapons)
of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have power (or
[3 in omnibus his, Lat. ; in all these.]

[â chrismate, Lat. Cf. Tertul. de Baptismo, cap. 7. Tom. iv. p. 164.
ed. Semler. Hal. Magd. 1824.]
[5 Si tamen nomen est Christus, et non appellatio potius. Unctus
enim significatur: unctus autem non magis nomen est, quam vestitus
. . .
accidens nomini res. "
Tertull. Adv. Prax. Op. Par, 1634, p. 660.]
Lbullinger,III.]
290 THE FOURTH DECADK. [SEIIM.
dominion)
over you." And therefore when the prince of this
"world, yea, and the world itself,and the flesh, and sin, the
wicked affectionthereof, do what they can to draw us again
out of freedom into bondage, we must (because
we are kings)
valiantly resistthem, and, continuing in conflict,vanquish and
overcome them by the virtue of Christ reigning in us. For
1 John V. St John the apostle saith : "All that is born of God overcometh
the world ; and this is the victory which hath overcome the
world, even your faith.'' Hitherto belongeth the doctrine of
freedom and bondage, whereof I entreated in the former
Decade ^ By all these we gather, that the principal duty of
Christians is always to stand in battle array, and to keep
their place, to watch and endeavour by all force and means,
lest at any time being overcome of their enemy Satan

they spoiled of their royal or kingly dignity, and be
be
haled down into the bondage of hell. Truly, if we overcome
in Christ and with Christ, we shall reign together with
him ; that is, we shall live with him and all the saints in
glory for ever and ever. And thus are we kings in Christ ;
thus are we Christians.
christims Again, because Christians,that is to say, anointed,
we are
are priesls.
surely we are priests also ; and therefore, according to our
priestly office,we teach, we admonish, we exhort, and comfort
all ourbrethren, and all men that are committed to our
charge. Where notwithstanding we do necessarily make a
difference between the christian priesthood and the ecclesias-

tical
ministery. All Christians truly, as well men as women,
are priests,but we are not all ministers of the church : for

we one
with another preach publicly, administer
cannot all
the sacraments, and execute other duties of pastors, unless we
be lawfully called and ordained thereunto. This our priest-
hood
common to all is spiritual,and is occupied in common
duties of godhness, not in public and lawful ministeries of the
church. Whereupon one may and ought to instruct and

admonish another privately, and while he so doth, he execut-
eth a priestly office; as when the good-man of the house
-
instructeth his children at home in godliness ; when the good-
wife of the house teacheth and correcteth her daughters ; to

be short, when every one of us exhort
every neighbour of
ours to the desire and study of godliness. For the apostle
[1 Decade in. Serm. ix.] p Vol. i. page 258, note 2.]
VII. ] OF THE NAME OF A CHRISTIAN. 291
Paul saith: " Exhort ye one another daily, while it is called "i^''- '"'"
to-day ; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitful-

ness of sin." Moreover, since we be priests,we must offer
sacrificesworthy of our fied,And
have sufficientlytesti-
God. we
that, after Christour high and only priestor bishop in all

ages and in all the whole world, none doth offer a satisfactory
sacrificeto take away sin : for when he offered up himself,
he offered a sacrificebut once, howbeit always eftectual to
cleanse the sins of all. Therefore we offer unto him thanks-
giving
and praise, celebrating the memory of that one only
sacrifice: we offer prayers : we offer ourselves, that is to say,
our bodies, a lively and a reasonable sacrificeto God, together
with all kind of godhness and well-doing. For Paul saith :

*'
By Christoffer the sacrificeof praise always unto God,
we Heu. xui,
that is, the fruit of lips confessing his name. To do good
and to distributeforget not; for with such sacrificeGod is well

pleased." But touching these sacrificesI have spoken more
3,
in my former sermon wherein I entreated what the true
service of God is. But since all sanctificationis and riseth
from high priest,Christ Jesus, we can sanctify ourselves
one
no otherwise than with honest and pure conversation of life,

which thing is required at our hands ; namely, that we be
holy, and that we sanctify the name of our God with an inno-
cent
that it be not evil spoken of through us by men,
life, but
that they may see the good works of the faithful,and glorify
the Father which is in heaven. There is none but may see
that all the duties of a christian man are comprehended in
these points; wherein unless we exercise ourselves earnestly,
I do not see that we are worthy of so excellent a name.
That this most holy firstgiven to the faithfulThe name of
name was
"
,
y .
Christian, a
at Antioch in Syria, Luke is witness : which yet let no man so "os' ancient.
understand, as if that name afore had been altogether unknown

to all men. For now it is become most common; in
time past it was the name only of most excellent and holy
men, and of such as rather were so indeed than so accounted,
though also by name they wereacknow-
ledged. in some manner so
Eusebius in his ecclesiasticalhistory maketh

For
mention, that the ancient fathers Adam, Seth, Noe, Abraham,

and other like unto these, were all Christians ; and therefore
christian religion to be the very purest, perfectest,and the

19"2
if any require, are these :

ancicntcst. The words of Eusebius,
"
The nation of the Hebrews is not new, but unto all men in
antiquity famous, and known to all. Their books and writings
do contain ancient fiithers,of whom they make report before

the flood, rare indeed and few in number, howbeit in godliness
and righteousness and in all kind of virtues most excellent ;
and after the flood, of other of the sons and nephews of Noe,
as of Tharam and Abraham, of whom as their captain and
progenitor the posterity of the Hebrews do boast. So that

if any man shall say that all these from Abraham himself
even to the first man, being beautified with the testimony of
righteousness, through their works, though not in name, were
Christians, truly he should not stray from the truth. For a
Christian signifieth a man which excelleth other in know-

ledge and doctrine of Christ, with moderation of mind, and
righteousness and continency of life,and through fortitude of

virtue and confession of godliness tov/ard the one and only
God of all creatures. And this those ancient fathers
name
did no less esteem than we do. Neither had they care of the
corporal circumcision, as we also have not; neither of keeping

the Sabbath-day, as we also have not ; nor of abstaining from
meats, nor other differences : which things afterwards jNEoses
first of all ordained, and figuratively delivered them to be
performed : as such things also even at this day pertain not

to Christians. But plainly the Christ or anointed of
they saw
God : as also it is declared already before, that he both

appeared unto Abraham, and gave answer unto Isaac and
Israel, and spake to Moses, and after him to the prophets.
Whereby thou shalt find that these godly men also obtained
the name of Christ, according to that saying spoken of them,
to wit, Touch not my Christs and do
(or mine anointed), my
prophets no harm. it is manifest that this
Therefore godly
invention of those men who lived holily in the time of ham,
Abra-
which of late by the doctrine of Christ is preached to all
nations, is the first,most ancient, and eldest of alP." Thus
much Eusebius.
[1 Ov veov, dWa Koi Trapa munv dpxaiorrjriT(TipT]fievov

avOpairois edvos,
to'ls TTUcri Kol avTo yvmpipov, to 'E/Spat'coi/ Aoyoi 81)Tvapa tovtco
Tvyx^dvfi.
Kai ypdnnara TraXaiovs itpSpas Trfpie'xovai, a-iravlovspev Koi dpidpco ^pa^f^s,
aXK Spas Kai SiKaioavi'ri kih
TidaT] Xoittjj SieveyKovras dperj; "
ei/CTfêia tjJ
7rp6 pev ye rov
KaraKXvapoVj diacjiopovs'
perd fie Kai tovtov,
erepovs tioi"
VII.]
rurtliermore, If we behold ourselves in tliislooking-glass mere are
of a
christian name, we shall see that very few at this day are christians.
2.
worthy of this name all of us are commonly so Truly
called,and we will be^ named Christians ; but few of us live a

life worthy of our named Christians of
profession. We are
holy anointing. The holy anointing is the Holy Ghost him-self.
whom
"
Upon
shall my Spirit rest ?" saith the Lord ; isai. ixvi.
"
even
upon him that is poor, and of a lowly troubled spirit,
and standeth in awe of my words." But we set light by the
word of God, we have very troublesome heads, we are corrupt

with evil aifections and lewd lusts,we swell with pride ; and
therefore we want the ointment of holy oil,or are void of the
Holy Ghost "*. Who therefore can say that we be Christians ?
^Ve all of us in manner
are
ruled by wicked desires, by the
flesh, the world, and the prince of this world ; few of us rule
the world, and the flesh, and those things which are in them.
Therefore not the Spu'it of God, but the spirit of the world
re Tov Ncoe Tialbav Koi aTroyuvatv, drap Koi (tovQdpav, alii)top Âfipaafi,
ov
ap^rjyup Koi rrponaropa airSiv TratSes E^patcov avxôvai. Tlavras
acpcov
8fj eKeivovs diKaioavvrj p.ep.apTvprnievovs, i^ avTOv A^paap. enl rov Trpmrou
dviovaiv avdpaiTOV, fpy"o Xpiariavovs, el kol prj dvopari, TTpoa-emcou tis ovk
av eKTos /SaXot Trjs aXT]deias. O yap roc 8t]\ovv
edeXoi Tovvopa, tov
Xpiariavov avbpa 8ia ttjs

tov XpicTTOv yvaxreoa koi BidacrKuXias,
craxppoa-vi'T}
Koi biKaioavvu Kaprepia re jiiovkoi dpeTrjS dv8pia, Te
elaejielas opoXoyla
evos Koi povov TOV ttuvtcov Qeov 8ia7rpeTreiv,
tovto ttclv
eKeivots ov )(ê1pov
eVi
prj 8e
rjpav Ovt ovv crcopaTOs on
ecTTTOvSafero. avTols epeXev,
TrepiToprjs
rjplv
"
oi) aal^jSaTociP otc

eVtTTjpijcrea)?, Se ijptv "
aXX' ov8e tcov

Toia"v8e
pi)
ov8e rav
rpocpwvTTapa(fjv\a"rjs, aXkeov diaarroXrjs,
oaa
toTs peTerreira irparos
cnrdvTcov 'Mcovcrrjsdp^dpevosiv avpôkois TeXelcrdai 7rapa8e8a"K(v, oti p-q

8e vvv Xpianavtov rd roiaiiTa' dWd koI aa(f)cos avTov jjdecrav tgv XpicrTov
TOV Qeov, 'A^padp, 8e to)
'laaaK, XeXaXTjKevai
pev rc5
e'iyea)"f)dai ")(prjpaTia'ai
8e Ta 'la/ca)/3,
('icrpajjX, TSlcoiJael
re koi to7s pera TaiiTa irpocprjTais
alii)
(ijpikrjKevaiTrpo8e8eiKTai, 'Evdep aiiTovs 8f} tovs deocpiXels fKeivovs
evpois
Xpiarov
av Koi Tjjstov KaTTjîcopevovs npoaavvplas, Kara ttjv (^dcrKovcrav
irept avTotv Mr] dyj/rjcrdeTa"v pov, koi iv ro'is

cfyavfjv xpKTTav Trpocprjraispov
pTj novTjpevTjcrde. Qcrre Trpcorrjvrjyeladai. Selj/ koi
ndvTcov jraXaio-
cracpSs
Tdrrjv re koi dpxo-iOTaT-qv deoaefBeias evpeaiv, avrav eKetvcov 8tj tcov dp(f)l
TOV 'AjSpadp deocpiXaiv dvSpojv, ttjv dpTicos 8td Tijs tov XptcrTov 8t8a(TKaXias
Trdcrivedveai KaTrjyyeXpevrjv. Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. I. Cap. 4. Tom. I.
pp. 31, 32. ed. Burton. Oxon. 1838.]

[2 sacro nomine, Lat.]
[3 So also eel. 1584 : but ed. 1577, we will be all ; omnes volumus,
Lat.]
[4 or Ghost, the translator's
"
addition.]
294 THE FOURTH DECADE, [sERM.
find the flesh beareth rule in us. The devil, the world, and
the flesh have dominion over us ; for in them we hve, and them
we do obey : whereupon, being estranged and letloose from all
righteousness and holiness, we are become slaves, serving

a
vile and filthy slavery.
most For we, not desiring to be
delivered, do neither seek a redeemer ; nor, being impatient of
their tyranny, rise and rebel against them : but like faint-
hearted
cowards, we yield ourselves to be brought in subjec-

tion,
and to be kept under their tyranny : nay, it repenteth
and irketh us of our labours, watchings, prayers, and of all
duties of godliness ; and, being careless, we lie lurking as in a
place of voluptuousness. But who would vouchsafe such swine

the most holy name of a Christian, but he that is both exceed-
ing
foolish and wicked ? No marvel then if such be thrust
down into hell, there eternally to burn, and there eternally to
be yoked unto him whom^ they have most wickedly chosen to
themselves to follow. And now what one of us is there that
doth teach, admonish, and exhort those that boast and brag of
this christian name? I speak nothing here concerning the
doctors or teachers of the church ; but my talk doth touch the
officeand duty of a christian man. Truly, the most part of

us are families and fellow-brethren :
slow in instructing our
for either it grieveth us to take the pain, or else we fear

danger. Therefore we turn the office of admonishing and
instructing upon the public ministers of the church, as though
nothing at all of this matter For this
were
required of us.
cause speeches in a manner unseemly to be spoke are heard
I have minister, I am
"
uttered of men : not the officeof
no a
{pfaff)priest; why therefore should I instruct? why should I

admonish?" And these care not how blasphemous and filthy
things be spoken either at home or abroad ; for they live to
themselves, and think that the glory of God and the soul's
health of their neighbour belongeth nothing unto them. But
what sacrificesoffer worthy of God and our name

we ? where
are
prayers and thanksgivings ? where is the mortification of
our flesh, and the denying of this world ? where is compassion,
or
well-doing ? where is an holy and harmless life? The
contrary (ifneed so I up in a long

required) could reckon
bead-row but to what end were
: it to make a large discourse
of those things that are manifest unto all men ? For who,
[1hie, Lat. omitted ; here.]

VII.]
I pray you, doth deny, that the hfe of this present age
(of men, I mean, which brag and boast of their christian
is fiUhy, stinking,and pestilent? Which things since
name)
they be too too true and evident, I have nothing done amiss in
saying a Httle before, that at this day there are few Christians.
They that are wise and desire to be according to their name,
let them Saviour speaking in the gospel of Matthew
hear our :
"Strive to enter in at the straitgate; for wide is the gate. Matt. vii.
and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction,and many

there be which go in thereat : because strait is the gate,
and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life,and few there
be that find it."
Furthermore they (whichthing ought firstof all to have Against false
been do
very greatly offendagainst religionand christian
spoken)
profession, which as they do not sincerely acknowledge the
priesthood and kingdom of Christ, so they boast themselves to
be chiefly praise-worthy, commendable, and catholic,because
they commit those things which by all means obscure and
darken the kingdom and priesthood of Christ. Christians,
being content with this only titleand name, do not ambitiously
seek after or admit another name : but these men, as though

the name of a Christian were but a light and triflingname,
never
until they be also called by other names
rest ; as
though they were baptized into the name of Brion^, Benet^,
Robert*, or Francis^. Christians, cleaving only to their law-
giver,
master, and teacher Christ, do not acknowledge the
voice of strangers, neither go a straw's breadth from the
divine scriptures: but these men charge thee with heresy,
unless thou receive and worship for heavenly oracles all kind
of constitutions of the Romish church, though they be flat
contrary to the words and teaching of Christ. Christians
acknowledge themselves to have one king, one deliverer,one
Saviour, and one head in heaven : these men worship his
vicar in earth, and attribute salvation not only to trifling

[2 Brunonis, Lat. ; Bruno, founder of the Order of Carthusians.]
[3Benedict!, Lat. ; Benedict of Nursia (or Norcia), in Italy, esta-
blished
the Benedictine order about a.d. 529.]
[4Robert or Rodbert, born at Arbrissel, near Rennes in France,
founded the order of Fontevi-aud, a new sect of Benedictines, a. ".
1100.]
[5 St Francis of Assisi, in Italy, established his order of Fratres
Minores, or Minorites, about a.d. 1208.]
290 THE FOUUTH DECADE. [sERM.
things, but to very stinking and loathsome things. Christians

put all their trust in God, to whom they offer all their vows
and prayers by Jesus Christ, whom they believe to be the
only high priest and most faithfulpatron and advocate of all
^
that believe : they make their prayers to creatures and
men's imaginations, and choose to themselves so many patrons
and intercessors as there do live saints in heaven. Christians

know that the sacrificeof Christ once offered is always
effectualto make satisfactionfor all the sins of all men in the
whole world, and of all men of all ages : but these men with
often outcries say, that it is flat heresy not to confess that
Christ is daily offered of sacrificingpriests,consecrated to that
purpose. Therefore the name of a Christian is common to all,
but the thing signifiedand meant by the name is common to
the faithfulonly who cleave unto one Christ.

The con- Now
I couclude mv whole discourse of Christ, a king and
elusion*
a priest,with these words of St Augustine : The Son of God, "
which made us, is made among us ; and being our king ruleth
us and therefore we are Christians,because he isChrist. He is
:
called Christ a Chrismate, that is to say, of anointing. Kings

also and priests were anointed, and he was anointed king and
priest. Being a king, he fought for us: being apriest,he
offered himself for us. When he fought for us, he was as it
were overcome, yet by right he hath overcome in very deed :
for he was crucified,and on his cross
whereon he was nailed
he slew the devil, and then he was our king. But wherefore
is he a priest? Because he hath offered himself for us. Let
a priest have somewhat to offer. What could man find to
give ? A
clean sacrifice? what sacrifice? what clean thing
can a sinner offer ? O wicked sinner ! O ungodly wretch !
whatsoever thou shalt bring, it is unclean. Seek within thy-
self
what to offer, thou shalt find nothing. Seek out of thy-
self
what to offer, he is not deUghted in rams goats oror
bullocks ; they are all his, though thou offer them not.
He found nothing clean among men, which he might offer for
men ; therefore he offered himself a clean offering,an undefiled
sacrifice. Therefore he did not offer that which we gave unto

him, but that which he took of us ; and that he offered pure
and clean. He
took flesh in the womb of the virgin, that he
might offer pure and clean flesh for us that were unclean. He
[1 Isti,Lat. ; these.]
VII.]
is king, lie is a priest.
a In him let us To liirabe
rejoice^."
glory for ever and ever. Amen.
OF THE HOLY GHOST, THE THIRD PERSON IN TRINITY

TO BE WORSHIPPED, AND OF HIS
DIVINE POWER.
THE EIGHTH SERMON.
It remaineth that, after we have expounded the mys-

teries
of the Son of God our Lord Jesus Christ, we conse-
quently-'
of the Holy Ghost and of his divine power
speak
and operation. For unless he inspire our minds and rule
our tongue, we shall never be able worthily or profitably
either to speak or hear anything concerning him. For as

no man knoweth those things which are of God, but the
Spirit of God ; so men fetch the understanding of heavenly
things and the knowledge of the'Holy Ghost from nowhere
else than from the same Spirit of God. Let us therefore
pray and beseech God the Father, that by his Son"* Jesus
Christ he would vouchsafe to enlighten our dark and misty
Dei, qui fecit nos, factus est inter nos, et rex

[2 Filius noster regit
nos et.
ideo.
Christiani
. (sumus)quia ille Christus. Cbristus a cliris-
mate dictus est, id est, ab unctione. Reges autem ungebantur et sa-
cerdotes ; ille vero unctus est et rex et sacerdos. Rex pugnavit pro
nobis ; sacerdos obtulit se pro nobis. pugnavit Quando
pro nobis,
quasi victus est, jure autem vere
vicit. Crucifixus est enim, et do
cruce sua, in qua erat flxus, diabolum occidit, et deindc rex noster.
Unde autem sacerdos ?
pro nobis obtulit. Date sacerdoti quod
Quia se
oflferat. Quid inveniret homo quod daret ? Mundam victimam ? Quam
victimam ? Quid mundum potest oflferre peccator ? O inique, O im-
pie, quicquid attuleris immundum est Quaere apud te quid ofFeras, . . .
non invenies : qusere ex te quid offeras ; non delectatur nee arietibu?,

nee hircis, nee tauris: omnia ipsius sunt, etsi non ofFeras ..
.Nihil
mundum invenit in hominibus
quod offerret pro seipsum hominibus :
ergo obtulit mundam victimam, hostiam immaculatam Non ergo ....
hoc obtulit quod nos illi dedimus ; imo hoc obtulit quod a nobis ac-
cepit, et mundum obtulit. Carnem enim de utero virginis (accepit), . . .
ut mundam offerret pro immundis. Ipse rex, ipse sacerdos : in eo Isc-

temur. " August. Enarrat. in Psal. 149. 0pp. Tom. vni. fol. 361. col. 1.
Par. 1532.]
[3 consequcnter, Lat.; next.]
[* Dominum nostrum, Lat. omitted; our Lord.]
minds, by sending this his holy Spirit into our hearts,and

to directus in the
sincereway of truth according to the holy
scriptures.
And firstof all it seemeth not unprofitableto expound
the word, spirit, because in the scriptureit is diversly taken
and very often used ; so that not seldom times he shallgreatly
The word
Spirit is
err,
which is ignorant of the force of that word. Spirit
expounded.
properly is the signification^ of an element, signifyingair,
Spirit is air
or wind.
wind, breath. In that signification we read this spoken of
John iii. our Saviour : " The wind bloweth where it lusteth,and thou
hearest the sound thereof,but canst not tellwhence it cometh,
and whither it goeth." And Paul saith: If I pray with
"
an unknown tongue, my spiritprayeth, but my understanding

is made unfruitful." Lo, the
apostle useth spirit for the
breath or voice ; for he joineth it to the tongue, and set-
teth it against the mind. By a metaphor it is translatedto
Spirit sig-
nifieth an
every bodilesssubstance,and is set againstthe body. Spirit
therefore signifieth angel, either good or bad. For the
anjjel. an
prophet (whosewords Paul hath also rehearsed) saith;

"
Pial. civ. Which maketh his angelsspirits, and his ministersa flaming
Hob. i. fire." And again : "'
Are they not all ministeringspirits ?"
These testimoniesare
understood of good angels. When the
scripturespeaketh of evil angels, commonly it addeth some-
what,
as an evil spirit, or an unclean spirit. We call also
spiritsor ghosts, which have taken some shape that cannot
well be discerned,spirits. So the apostlesnot believingthat
the Lord was risen again with his true body, when they
saw him they thought they had seen a spirit: to whom,
shewing his feet and his hands, he saith, A spirithath not
"
[Luke xxiv.
39.]
fleshand bones as ye see me have." Again, spiritis taken
Spirit sig- for the breath of life; as with the Iâtins,to breathe^ is to
nifietiilife.
live, to leave breathing^ is to die. David saith: "When
thou givestit them, they gather it; when thou openest thy
hand, they are filled
with good. When thou hidestthy face,
they are troubled; when thou takest away their breath, they
die,and are turned again to their dust." And the Lord in
Gen. vi. Moses saith: I will destroy all flesh, wherein there is
"
Spiritsig-
breath of life."The reasonable soul also of man is peculiarly
nifieth the
boul of man.
insomuch that spiritis very often taken in the
called spirit,
[1nota, Lat.]
[-spirarc,Lat.] [3expirare, Lat.]
OF THE HOLY GHOST. 299
VIII.]
holy scripture for the reasonable soul of man. Iôr in the
gospel thou dost read, "Jesus, when he had bowed down i,"kexxiii.
his head, gave up the ghost," (orthe And thou dost

spirit).
read of the holy martyr Stephen, "They stoned Stephen Acts Mi.
calling on and saying, Lord Jesu, receive my spirit," For

Solomon said before :
"
The dust shall be turned again unto eccIcs. xu.
earth from whence it came*, and the spiritshall return unto

God who gave it." And sometimes spirit signifieth the af-spintsig-
fection and motion, readmess and provocation of the mind, aiieotion of A
_
inind.
For Solomon saith :
"
that refraineth not his appe- [Prov.
A man xxv.
spirit, is like a city which is broken down." Thou

"
tite," or
mayest oftentimes find in the scriptures the spiritof pride,
anger, lust,or envy, taken for a proud, angry, lustful,or en-vious
aftection. Also in Luke xiii.the very sore disease, or
source of sickness, is called the spiritof infirmity. The spirit^f^^^'^'/

also signifieth those spiritual motions which the Holy Ghost ^^l^^^^l
stirreth up in the hearts of the saints, yea, and the very
gifts poured into the hearts of men by the Spirit ; which
in every place in Paul is to be seen. Elsewhere spirit is
opposed against the letter, the body, the figure, the type
or shadow ; and is used for a more high or
mystical meaning,
and for the very pith of the thing ; as when Paul saith :
Thecircumcision of the heart is the circumcision which
"
Rom. w.
consisteth in the spirit,not in the letter." And again: "The acor. iii.
Lord hath made us able ministers of the new Testament,
not of the letter, but of the spirit. For the letter killeth,
but the spirit givetli life." Therefore thou mayest find spirit sig-
spirit to be taken for inspiration, revelation, and doctrine,revelation.

For John saith :
"
Believe not every spirit,but prove the i John iv.
spirits, whether they be of God or not." And again :

"Quench not the Spirit, despise not prophecies." Last ofiThess. v.
all,God is called that unmeasurable and unspeakable power

of the Spirit. "
God," saith our Lord, "
is a Spirit, and Joim iv.
they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in
truth." By this means the word spirit is common to all the
persons of the reverend Trinity : howbeit it is peculiarly
apphed to the third person in Trinity, of whom we make

this sermon.
And albeit the Holy Ghost, forsomuch as he is God, can the

^y'-^t
ô'yCihost
. . . .
be compassed within no limits, (forby his own nature he is """
[**
sicut fuit,Lat. ; as it was, Auth.
ver.]
300 THE FOUIlTIi DECADE. [sERM.
unspeakable, unraeasurable, incomprehensible, everlasting;)

yet notwithstanding, that I may say somewhat in a certain
order concerning him, if it "willbe no otherwise, I will at

the least^ shadow out that which the scripture, the inspira-
tion
of the Holy Ghost himself, very largely declareth of

him. The Holy is the third person in Trinity to be
Ghost
worshipped, very God, proceeding from the Father and the

Son, -which enlighteneth, regcnerateth, sanctifieth, and ful-
filleththe faithful with all good graces. But that the Holy
Ghost is the third person in the holy Trinity, I think it is
sufficientlyat large declared in the third sermon of this

"
[Malt xxviii. Decade. Surely this only sentence of our Saviour, Baptize
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost," doth abundantly confirm to godly minds that
the Holy Ghost is the third person in Trinity.
That the Morcover that he is very God, of the same power, glory,
is very God.
aud being with the Father and the Son, that especially
majcsty,
proveth, because he is the third person in the holy Trinity
Neither must we think that he is lesser than they, because he
is reckoned in the third place. For though the blessed
Trinity be remembered of us in order, yet notwithstanding
there is no degree, no time, no place, or number in the blessed
Trinity. For blessed Athanasius made his confession accord-
ing
to the scripture, and said : "The catholic faith is this,
that we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity ;
neither confounding the persons, nor dividing the substance.

For there is one person of the Father, another of the
Son, and another of the Holy Ghost : but the Godhead of
the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is one ; the
Father
glory equal, the majestyco-eternal. Such as the
is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost. The
Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, and the Holy Ghost un-
create. The Father incomprehensible 2, the Son incompre-
hensible,
and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible. The Father

eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal : and
eternal," "c. And
yet are they not three eternals, but one
Augustine also, in his fifteenth book de Trinitate, cap. 26,
saith: "In that high Trinity, which is God, there are no tances
dis-
of times, whereby it may be shewed or at least de-
\} at the last, ed. 1577, 1587: saltern, Lat.]

[2 immeiisus, Lat.]
VIII.]
manded, whctlicr the Son were firstborn of the Father, and
afterward the Holy Ghost to proceed from them both^" "c.

Truly, we confess that the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost is God, and that the same
one is eternal. Therefore
let it trouble no man, that the Spirit is put in the last place.
For when the apostle in his epistleto the Corinthians framed
his blessing,he said: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, scor. xiii.
and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost,
be with you all." He maketh mention of the Holy Ghost in
the last place. But the same Paul saith, There are diversi-
ties "
of gifts, but it is the selfsame Spirit : and there are i cor. xii.
differences of administrations, but it is the selfsame Lord :
and there are divers manners of operations, but it is the

selfsame God, which worketh all in all:" setting the Spirit in
the first place, teaching that the order of names doth not
make difference of dignities. After this manner also in the
former testimony, he placed the Son before the Father ; not
overthrowing the order which the Lord hath set down in
Matthew, but shewing the equality of the Trinity in honour ^ [Matt.xxvm.
For what canst thou more plainly say than that which the
scripture saith, that the Holy Ghost doth sanctify, renew,
regenerate, give life, and save operations ? and these are
agreeable only.to God

operations therefore we By
mani-
festly
acknowledge, that the Holy Ghost is God, of the same
essence and power with the Father and the Son. For the
Holy Ghost from the beginning before all creatures, visible
and invisible,is a Creator, not a creature, as Job witnesseth :
"His Spirit hath garnished the heavens." Again: "TheJobxxvi.
Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty """]
hath given me life." Zacharias the priest and father of St
John Baptist saith : "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for Lukei.
he hath redeemed his people : as he spake by the mouth
of
[3 In ilia summa Trinitate, quae Deus est, iiitervalla temporum
nulla sunt, per quse possit ostendi aut saltern requiri, utrum prius de
Patre natus sit Filius, et postea de ambobus processerit Spiritus Sanc-
tus. Augustin. de Trinitate. 0pp. Tom.
"
iix. fol. 101. col. 1. Par. 1531.]
["*'Ev fiev (l Cor. xii. 4

rrjTrpoTfpa eTria-ToXfj
"
6) TrpcjTov i'raê
(6
TO Ilvevfia, ivOavra 8e (2 Cor. xiii.14) rikevTalov BiBaaKccu
ajTocTToXos}
as ov
TTOieZ toov ovoficiTcov fj rdîsa^KO/iaTcov 8ia(popdv. Tavrrj roi tov
Y'lou tov IlaTpos, ov TrjV dvaTpeTrav rjv 6 Kvpios TideiKev,

TTpoeraê tciîv
dWd TO opoTipov TYjs i'TTibfiKvvs.Theodoret.
TptciSoff "
Hreret. Fab. Lib, v.
cap. 3. p. 258. Tom. iv. Lut. Par.

1642,]
his holy prophets, which have heen since the world began."
2Pa. i. And' St Peter saith : " For the prophecy came not in old time
by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were
moved by the Holy Ghost." By this,I pray you, who can-
not
gather that the Holy Ghost is God? For God spake

by the mouth of the prophets ; and the Holy Ghost spake by
the mouth of the prophets : therefore the Holy Ghost is
Actsv. God. The same Peter also in express words hath called the
Holy Ghost God, when he accused Ananias of theft, yea, and
also of sacrilege : for when he had said, is it that

"
How
Satan hath filled ^
thy heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost?"
by and by he addeth, "Thou hast not lied unto men, but
unto God." To
the doctrine of St Peter agree those things
in all points, which St Paul the doctor of the Gentiles hath
taught. For he
called the behevers the temples of God.
"
1 Cor. iii. Know ye not (saithhe) that ye are the temple of God, and
that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" And again:
icor. vi. "Know ye not that your bodies are the temple of the Holy
Ghost which is in you, whom ye have of God, and ye are not
your own?" To be the temple of God, and to be the tem-
ple
of the Holy Ghost, Paul taketh to be one and the selfsame
thing : it followeth therefore that the Holy Ghost is God.
For in his Epistle to the Corinthians he expressly nameth
1 Cor. xii.
lY^Q Holy Ghost God : for after he had said, " There are
diversitiesof gifts,but it is the selfsame Spirit;" and had
reckoned up the kinds of gifts; by and by he addeth, "And

all these things worketh even one and the selfsame Spirit,
distributing to every man severally even as he will." And
he himself hadsaid a littleafore, There are divers man-
"
ners
of operations; but it is the selfsame God, which worketh

all in all."
But Didymus of excellent learning,
Alexandrinus, a man
doth knit up a most evident argument of the Godhead of

the Holy Ghost, declaring also that his nature doth alto-
gether
differfrom the nature of angels. For in his Lib. i.
de Spiritu Sancto, he hath left this written, St Hicrome so
interpreting it: "If the Holy Ghost were a creature, he
should have at the least limitable substance, as have

a all
things which are made. For although invisiblecreatures are
not limited within place and bounds ; yet in property of

[1 At, Lat. ; But.] [2seduxit, Lat.J
VIII.] OF THE HOLY OIIOST. 303
substance they are limited : but the Holy Ghost, since he is

in many places, hath not a limitablc substance. For Jesus
sending forth the preachers of his gospel, he filledthem with
the Holy Ghost. But neither did all the apostles
go to all
nations together, but some into Asia, some into Scythia, and
other dispersed into other nations, according to the dispensa-

tion
of the Holy Ghost which they had with them, even as
they also heard the

saying, 'I am Lord
with you always,
even unto the end of the world.' Hereunto doth that also
agree : Ye *
shall be witnesses unto mc, even unto the utter-
most
parts of the world.' If therefore they, being sent into
the furthest parts of the earth to bear witness of the Lord,
were
severed one from another with a very great distance of
place, and yet had present with them the Holy Ghost dwell-
ing
within them, whose substance is not limitable ; it is mani-
fest
that the power of angels doth far differfrom this power
of the Spirit. For, to use an example : the angel which was
present with the apostle when he prayed in Asia could not
together at the selfsame time be present with other, which
were
abiding in other parts of the world. But the Holy
Ghost is not only present being severed one from
with men
another, but is also a continual dweller in every angel, prin-
cipality,
throne, and dominion ^" "c. jSTow who cannot here-
[3 Spiritus Sanctus, si unus cle creaturis esset, saltern circumscrip-

tam haberet substantiam, sicut universa quse facta sunt. Nam etsi
non eircumscribantur loco et finibus invisibiles creaturse, tamen
pro-
prietate substantise finiuntur: Spiritus autem Sanctus, cum in pluribus
sit, nonhabet substantiam circumscriptam. Mittens Jesus
quippe
praedicatores doctrinse suae replevit eos Spiritu Neque enim omncs . . .
apostoli ad omnes gentes pariter sunt profecti ; sed quidam in Asiam,

in Scythiam, et alii in alias dispersi nationes, secundum dis-
.quidam
pensationem illius quem secum habebant Spiritus Sancti, quomodo et
Dominum dicentem : Vobiscum sum omnibus diebus usque ad consum-
mationem seculi. His et illud congruit Eritis testes mihi
. . .
usque , , .
ad extremum terree. Si ergo hi in extremis finibus terra), ob testimo-

nium
Domini constituti, distabant inter se longissimis spatiis, aderat
autem eis inhabitator Spiritus Sanctus, incircumscriptam stantiam,
sub- babens
demonstratur
angelica virtus ab hoc prorsus aliena. Angelus
quippe qui aderat, verbi gratia, apostolo in Asia oranti, non poterat
simul eodem tempore adesse aliis in ceteris partibus mundi constitutis.
Spiritus autem Sanctus non solum sejunctis a se hominibus preesto est,
sed et singulis quibusque angelis, principatibus, thronis, dominationibus
inhabitator adsistit,"c. "
Didymi Alexandrini de Spiritu Sancto liber
by gather, that the Holy Ghost is true and very God ? The
^
selfsame author hath gathered very many arguments of the
true Godhead of the Holy Ghost ; and next him the holy
father Cyril ^; and holy Athanasius hath absolutely discoursed
upon that matter, Lib. de Trinltate ii., to Theophilus^

These few testimonies, thus far rehearsed, we think shall
sufficethose that obey and love the truth.
They that stedfastly believe these things are not moved
with any
strange opinions and questions, curiously yea,
wickedly brought in about this matter by ill-occupiedpersons.
For some are reported to have denied the Holy Ghost to be
The nciy Lord ; for they have taught that he is a minister, and as it
woro a Certain instrument of the Father and the Son^. But
neither^
initrument. Christ our Lord joined
the Holy Ghost to himself and to the
Father, when he delivered the form of baptism ; for he
saith,
"
Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost." And yet it is manifest that a
creature is not joined to the Creator in baptism, neither that
there is any servile condition in the Godhead. Therefore the

^
council of Constantinople in their creed give to the Holy
Ghost certain terms, whereby they might destroy certain
errors, calling him
"
Lord, and Giver of life:" for when he
maketh him Lord^ he maketh him equal to the Son, and

excludeth the condition of a servant or minister. Beside that,
he denieth that he is their instrument ; for there is one
Lord : there many lords ; and the Son is not lord

are not
of the Holy Ghost ; but the lordship is common to the three
persons, which are only one Lord. And seeing the Holy
Ghost is the Lord, surely he is not appointed to a servile
ministery, but endued with lordly authority ; neither is he an

under-servant to do the work, but is a joint
worker with the
unus, S. Ilicronymo intcrpretc. cap. 6. p. 265. Biblioth. Vet. Pat. Tom.

VI. Tenet. 1770, or Ilicron. 0pp. Tom. iv. Par. i. col. 497. Par. 170G.
In the works of Jerome the treatise is divided into three books.]

[1 alia, Lat. omitted; other.]
[2 Cyril. Dial, ad Hermiam presb. de Sancta Trin. cap. 7. Do Sancto
Spiritu, quod Deus sit, et ex Deo secundum naturam. 0pp. Tom. v.
Par. I. pp. 631, "c. Lut.

1638.]
[3 Athanasii 0pp. de Trin. et Spir. S. pp. 587, "c. Par. 1627.]
[4 The Macedonians.] [5 See Vol. i.pp. 13, 16,17.]
[c So also cd. 1584 : but ed. 1577, when he callcth him Lord : cum
Dominum vocat, Lat.]
Vm.J
Father and the Son ; yea, and ho himself doth work as
Lord.
Again, certain other are reported to have taught that the The iioiy
TT , ^, .
1 , 1 . ",
Ghost is a
Holy Ghost is not a substance or a person, but as it were an subsLmce,
" ^
, . ,
not an
accident, that is to say, a

stirring up, a provocation, or atciuent.
a motion of a godly and renewed mind. And in very deed

our mind being illuminated with the Holy Ghost is oftentimes
called spirit; but we must wisely distinguish the creature
from the Creator, and the accident from the substance. The
blessed apostle distinguished our spiritfrom the holy Spirit of
God, when he
said; "As many as are led by the Spirit of iiom. vni.
God, they are the sons of God. The Spirit itselfbeareth
witness to our spirit,that we are the sons of God." And the

same apostle saith : The flesh lusteth contrary to the spirit,cai. v.
"
and the spiritcontrary to the flesh." And who understand-

eth not, that the mind of man instructed of the Holy Ghost is
here called the spirit; not the third person himself in the
reverend Trinity ? And that mind, as touching illumination,

is not of itself,but proceedeth from the Holy Ghost illumi-
nating
it; neither cometh it from any other than from him
which is the third person in Trinity : but that mind is not the
very person of the Holy Ghost; as imagination proceedeth
from the soul, and yet it is not the soul itself. That stirring
of the spiritin us is an accident ; but God is not an accident,

neither is mingled with the accident. We must therefore
confess, according to the scriptures,that the Holy Ghost is a
person subsisting,co-equal in nature or essence with the Father
and the Son, and therefore to be worshipped and glorifiedof us,
as
very God and Creator : again, that a godly and holy motion
stirred up in the minds of holy men by the Spirit is the effect
and working'^ of this Holy Spirit,and is called a holy spirit,

but after a certain manner proper to it. Otherwise we deny
not that the Holy Ghost himself, being promised, is com-
municated
unto us, but after our capacity and as he will.
For what is he amongst men that is able to comprehend the
fulness of the everlasting and incomprehensible God ?
Furthermore,
touching
O
the 1proceedingO of the Holy Ghost oft'ieprcv
'
"/ ceeilmg of ^ ^
from the Father and the Son, the divines have curiously,^^^^^}^
subtilly, and busily disputed. For the question is asked,

Whether he proceed from the Father alone, or from the Son
["creaturam, Lat.]
LbULLINGER,III.]
also? la which question the Latinists seem to disagree very-
much from the Grecians. The question is also asked, What

manner of proceeding this is? We, omitting many curious
questions,will brieflydeclare those things unto you which are

wholesome and agreeable with the holy scriptures. For who
shall be able to canvass out all the questions of curious men,
and all the bold and unclean thoughts of idle heads, without
offence to good men, especially of the simple hearers ?
and
The Holy That tlic Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and
eeedetrt"oin tho Sou, the scripturo manifestly teachcth, which most plainly
and ihe Son.
shewoth that he is the Spirit of either or both of them. For
Gal. iv. he it is of whom the apostle saith : Because ye are sons, "
God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts," And
Matt. X.
the Son speaking of the same Spirit saith : For it is not you "
that speak, but the Spirit of your Father, he it is which

speaketh in you." Again, the same Son saith of the Holy
John XV. Ghost, "Whom I will send unto you from the Father." And
johnxiv.
again he saith elsewhere, "Whom the Father will send in
my name." he proceedeth from both, as well from

Therefore
the Father as from the Son. For although this be read else-
john XV.
where to be spoken of the Holy Ghost, " Which proceeded from
the Father ;" yet it is not denied that he proceedeth from the
substance of the Son also. But that more is, Cyril, a Greek
writer, expounding the gospel of St John, and interpreting

this selfsame place, lib. x. cap. 33, saith : When he had "
called the Comforter the Spirit of truth, that is to say, his

Spirit (forhe is the truth),he addeth, that he proceedeth from
the Father. he is the Spirit of the Son naturally in
For as
his abiding, and through him proceeding, so also surely is he

the Spirit of the Father, But unto whom the Spirit is
common, surely they cannot by any means be dissevered
in substance'."" Ao;ain, St Ausjustine in his fifteenth book
John V. De Trinitate, cap. 2G, saith : " Who may understand by this
that the Son saith, as the Father hath lifein himself, that he
gave lifeunto the Son as being then without life; but that he
\} 'iSov yap, idov TTVfvfxa rrjsaXrjdfias,tovt eaTiv eavrov, rov

Tzapu-
KXrjTov elnav, -napa tov avrov
narpos eKTTopeveadat. (firjcriv.
axmep yap
icTTiv 'L^LovTTVfVfia TOV
vlov (pvcTiKtis, fv avTco Tc
vTTap)(ov, /cat bC avTov
Trpo'ibv,ovTca kclI tov

Trarpos. ols Se to irvivpa Koivbv, tovtois eXr)bijTTOV
Travras av kcu to. ov Sicopia-peva. Cyril, in Joann.
"
Lib. X.
Trjsovaias
0pp. Lutet. 1638. Tom. iv. p. 910.]
VIII.]
SO begat himwithout time, that the life,which the Father
gave to the Son in begetting him, is co-eternal with the life
of the Father which gave it him : let him understand, as
the Father hath
power in himself that the Holy Ghost
might proceed from him, so hath he given to the Son that the
same Holy Ghost may proceed from him, and both without
beginning ; and so it is said that the Holy Ghost proceedeth
from that that which proceedeth from the Son
the Father,
might be understood to be of the Father and the Son. For if
the Son have ought, he hath it of the Father : surely he hath
it of the Father, that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from him 2."
Thus far he. By all this we gather that the Holy Ghost
proceedeth as well from the Father as from the Son.
Now as concerning the manner of proceeding we say ^ êetimTof
that the proceeding of the Holy Ghost is two-fold
or
of two Gho"t"is^
sorts, temporal and eternal. Temporal proceeding is that of iw"o sons.
whereby the Holy Ghost proceedeth to sanctify men ; the
eternal proceeding is that whereby from everlasting he pro-

ceedeth
from God. The Spirit proceedeth from both parts*
from both of them, as well from the Father as the Son.
Neither doth he proceed from the Father into the Son
severally ^ and from the Son into creatures : for I say the
nature and substance of the Father and the Son is one and
the selfsame, inseparable, and co-everlasting too.
Temporal proceeding: commonly is called a sending and Temporal
i. I o ^ o
proceeaiiig.
gift. For the Holy Ghost is sent two manner of ways unto men :
visibly,that is to say, under some visible form, as of a dove,

and of fiery tongues ; as he is read in the gospel, and in the
[2 Qui potest intelligere in eo ait Filius, Sicut habet Pater

quod
vitam in semetipso, sic dedit Filio vitam habere in semetipso, non sine
jam Filio vitam (Fatrem) dedisse, sed ita eum sine tem-
pore
vita existenti
genuisse, ut vita, quam Pater Filio gignendo dedit, co?eterna sit
vitse Patris qui dedit ; intelligat,sicut habet Pater in semetipso, ut de
illo procedat Spiritus Sanctus, sic dedisse Filio, ut de illo procedat
idem Spiritus Sanctus, et utrumque sine tempore ; atque ita dictum
Spiritum Sanctum de Patre procedere, ut intelligatur, quod etiam pro-
cedit de Filio, de Patre esse et Filio. Si enim quicquid habet, de Patre

habet Filius ; de Patre habet utique, ut de illoprocedat Spiritus Sanctus.
de Trin. Lib. xv. cap. 26. 0pp. Tom. iii. fol. 101. col. 2. Par.
"August,
1532.]
[3 videmus, Lat. ; ["* Lat. ; both
we
see.] utrobiquc, ways.]
[5 divisim, Lat.]
20"2
Acts of the Apostles, to have been given to Christ and the
apostles : invisibly,he is daily and as it were every moment

given to the faithful,
the Spirit of Christ watering us with his
grace, and giving faith,hope, and charity unto us.
Eternal pro- Moreovor, tlio ctcrnal proceeding of the Holy Ghost,
whereby he proceedeth out of the substance of the Father

and the Son, is unspeakable, as the begetting of the Son by
the Father. Whereupon it is not said in the gospel, hath
proceeded, or, shall proceed, but, "proceedeth:" for so the

Lord declareth his eternity of proceeding, and that the sub-
stance
of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost
and
is co-eternal, and unseparable, and nothing at all differing.
St Augustine in his fifteenthbook De Trinitate and twenty-
sixth chapter saith : He that is able to understand the
"
begetting of the Son by the Father without time, let him also
understand the proceeding of the Holy Ghost from them both
without time^" And if any ask this question. Since the
Holy Ghost proceedeth from the substance of the Father and
the Son, how cometh it to pass that he is not called the Son?
I answer, that the scripture calleth the second person the
Son, and testifieththat he is the only-begotten of the Father;
and that the same nowhere maketh any mention that the
Holy Ghost is begotten, or that he is called the Son. Neither
have the ancient fathers made any other answer to this ques-
tion.
And I like the similitude which is here expressed : if
one streamshould flow from two springs, it might well be
said to flow from them both, yet it could be said to be the
son of neither of them. Hereunto I shall not seem unfruit-
fully nor beside the purpose to add the disputations of Didy-
mus
concerning sending ; lest any should understand that
perversely, and according to the flesh, which is spirituallyto
be interpreted by faith. The Holy Ghost the Comforter
"
is sent of the Son (saith

he),not according to the ministery of
angels, or prophets, or apostles, but as it becometh the Spirit
of God to be sent of the wisdom and truth of God, having an
unseparable nature with the selfsame wisdom and truth. For
the Son, being sent of the Father, abiding in the Father, and
having the Father in himself, is not separated nor
sundered
potest intelligcre sine tempore

\} Qui generationem Filii do Patre,
intelligatsine tempore processionem Spiritus Sancti de utroque. Au-
gust.
"
0pp. Tom. III. fol. 101. col.

2.]
VIII.]
from the Father. And the Sph'it of truth also, being sent of the
Son, after the manner aforesaid, proccedeth from the Father,
not from elsewhere removing unto other things ; for this is loou in the
impossible and blasphemous likewise. For if this Spirit of of this oe-

^ *
cade, about .
.
.
truth be limited within a certain space, accordingo to the na- the be- '
"I ginning-.
tures of bodies, leaving one place he goeth to another: but
even as the Father, not consisting in place, is far above and
beyond the nature of all bodies ; so also the Spirit of truth is
not limited within space of place, seeing he is bodiless,and, as
I may truly say, excelling all and every reasonable

more
creature. therefore it is impossible and wicked to

Because
believe these things which I have said in bodily creatures^;
we must understand that so the Holy Ghost went out and
came from the Father, as our Saviour doth bear witness that
he himself went out and came from the Father, saying, ' I
went out and came from God.'
separate places And as we
and changings of places from bodiless things, so also we do
separate these speeches, inwardly (I mean) and outwardly,

from the nature of things intellectual: for these two words
pertain to bodies that may be touched and have bigness.

Therefore we must believe the unspeakable word, which faith
only and alone maketh known unto us ; that our Saviour

is said to come out from
God, and the Spirit of truth to pro-
ceed
from the Father'*," "c. Other questions both scrupulous

[3 ista qute diximus in corporalibus credei'e,Lat. Bullingei-'sing
read-
: but sec the quotatiou in the next
note.]
[^ Spiritus Sanctus Consolator a Filio mittitur, non secundum an-
gelorum aut prophetarum aut apostolorum ministerium, sed ut mitti

decet a sapientia et veritate Spiritura Dei, indivisam habentem cum
eadem sapientia et veritate naturam. Etenim Filius missus a Patre

non separatur nee disjungiturab eo, manens et habens ilium in semet-
ipso. Quin Spiritus veritatis supradicto modo missus a Filio de Patre
egreditur, non aliunde ad alia trans migrans. Impossibile quippe hoc
pariter et blasphemum est. Si enim.

Spiritus veritatis juxtanatu-
ram . .
corporum cei'to spatio circumscriptus, alium deserens locum ad

alium commigrabit : sed quomodo Pater non consistens in loco, ultra
omnem corporum est naturam; ita et Spiritus veritatis nequaquam
locorum fine clauditur, cum sit incorporalis, et, ut verius dicam, ex-
cellens universam rationalem creaturam. Quia ergo impossibile est
et impium ista quce diximus de incorporalibus credere ; exire de Patre

Spiritum Sanctum sic intelligendum, ut se Salvator de Deo exisse tes-
tatur, dicens. Ego ex Deo exivi et veni. Et sicut loca et commuta-
and very many I pass over untouched : in these things

I require a
mind rehgious, and not a curious ; a faithfulmind,
and not a subtil.

Now there is but one Holy Ghost, because he is always
one the selfsame God.
and It is the same Spirit therefore,
which spake unto the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, and

which at this day speaketh to us in the church. For there-
fore
the council of Constantinople is thus read to have con-
fessed
their faith :
"
I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord ;"
and anon after :

'"'
Who
prophets. And
spakeI by the
believe one catholic and apostolic church ^" These sayings
are taken out of the holy scripture. For St Peter testifieth
in express words, that the Spirit of Christ was in the pro-
phets,
and there was none other spirit in the apostles than
the Spirit of Christ. And Paul the apostle saith : Seeing "
then we have the same Spirit, as it is written, I believed,
and therefore have I spoken,

also believe, and therefore
we
speak." Upon which testimony Tertullian inferreth, and (no

doubt)soundly :
"
It is one and the selfsame Spirit therefore,
which was in the prophets and the apostles 2." He promiseth
that the selfsame Spirit shall be always in the church. They
erred therefore, yea, foully they erred, whosoever among

them of old feigned one God and Spirit of the old Testa-
ment,
and another of the new Testament^. Didymus Alex-
andrinus, the bright light in his age of all the Grecian

churches, in his first book entitled De Spiritu Sancto, saith :
"
Neither ought we to think that the Holy Ghost is divided
he is called the multitude
according to substances, because
tiones locorum ab incorporalibus separamus ; sic et probationes, intus

dico et foris, ab intellectualiutn natura discernimus ; quia istce cor-
porum sunt recipientium tactum

vastitates. et habentium Inefltiibili
itaque et sola fide noto credendum est, Salvatorem
sermone dictum
esse exisse a Deo, et Spiritual veritatis a Patre egredi Didymi Alex, "
de Spir. Sanct. capp. 25, 26, p. 273. Bibliotb, Yet, Patr. Tom, vi,
Venet. 1770. or Hieron. 0pp. Lib. 11. coll. 509, 510. Tom. iv. Pars i.
Paris. 1706.]
\} Qui loquutus prophetas iu uuam
est per catholicam et aposto-
licam ecclesiam, See Vol.
Lat. i. p. 158, and Addenda, p. 436.]
[2 Unus ergo et idem Spiritus, qui in projihetis ct apostolis, nisi
quoniam ibi ad momentum, hie semper. Novatian. de Trin. cap. 29.
"
Tertull. 0pp. Col, Agrip. p. 741.]

1G17.
[3 So Manes and his followers.]

VIH.]
of good graces. For he cannot suffer,he cannot be divided,
neither yet be changed ; but, according to his divers manners

of workings and understandings, he is called by many names
of good graces, because he doth not endue his partakers
^,"
"with his communion after one and the selfsame power "c.
Furthermore, the Holy Ghost hath increasino;or fulness,increasing
"
1
"
1
"
/^ 1 / 1
of the Spirit.
and diminishmg
and want m man : not that m God (who,
as it is commonly and truly said, neither receiveth more or
less)there is any change to be found ; but because man,
according to his capacity, receiveth the Spirit plentifullyand

liberally,or measurably and sparingly, even as it pleaseth
the Holy Ghost. The portion of the Spirit of Helias was 2 Kings ii.
given double from heaven to Heliseus, And it is said of

Saviour, that gave him the Spirit not by joim i.i.
the Father
"
our
measure." For the Lord himself elsewhere saith : " Whoso- Matt. xiii.
ever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more
abundance ; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken

away even that he hath." Saul had received excellent 1 sam. xvi.
graces ; but because he did not use and exercise them, the
good Spirit of God departed from him, and the evil spirit
succeeded and tormented him. And the Spirit of God de-
parteth, even as it cometh also, at one instant : for when
we are forsaken of the Lord, the Spirit of God departeth
from us. read that David
"
Whereupon we prayed ; Cast ^sai. n.
me not
away from thy presence, and take not thy holy
Spirit from me." And again : Stabhsh me with thy cipal
prin-
"
Spirit^"
after these things it seemeth that we
Next must dili-oftheefrect
gently search out, what the effect and what the power offheHoiV"^
the Holy Ghost is. The power of the almighty and everlasting
God is unspeakable ; therefore no man can fully de-
clare
the power of the Holy Ghost is : yet somewhat
what
I will say, making those things manifest which he worketh
chiefly in men. For otherwise the Father by the Spirit
Nee
existiraare debemus
["* Spiritum Sanctum secundum tias
substan-
divisum, quia multitude bonorum
esse dicatur. Impassibilis enim
et indivisibilisatque immutabilis est; sedjuxtadifferentes et eflSicien-
tias et intellectus multis bonorum vocabulis nuncupatur : quia parti-
cipes suos non juxtaunam eandemque virtutem communione sui donet
"c. Didymi Alex. ibid. cap. 9. p. 266. Hieron. ibid. col.
"
499.]
[5 See Vol. II. p. 147, note 6.]
"worketh all things : by him he createth, sustaineth, moveth,

giveth Ufc, strengthcneth, and prescrveth all things : by the
selfsame he regeneratcth his faithful people, sanctifieth,and
in
cndueth them with divers kinds of graces. Whereupon
the description above mentioned of him, comprising in four
members his principal powers and effects which shew them-
selves
by their working in men, I said, that he doth illu-
minate,
regenerate, sanctify, and fulfilthe faithful with all

good graces : which things that they may the better be
understood, it shall be good first of all to declare (as well

as we
can) the appellations or names of the Holy Ghost,
which the holy scripture giveth him ; and then to recite one
or twoplaces of the old and new Testament, to set forth
and declare the power of the Holy Ghost.

The Holy First, ho is called the Holy Spirit of God, because all
Ghost. "
.^1 -r. 1 1 1
creatures as many as are sanctified are sanctmed by liim.

The sanctifieth with his grace, but through
heavenly Father
the blood of his beloved Son ; and sanctificationis derived
unto us^ and sealed by the Spirit. Therefore the holy
Trinity, being one God, doth sanctify us. It is a wicked
thins therefore to attribute sanctificationto strange and
foreign things : it is a wicked thing to translate purification
and from the

justification Creator unto the creature. over
More-
is called holy, to make
he a difference of him from
other spirits. For we read in the scriptures, that there was

and is a spirit of the world, a spirit of infirmity-, a spirit
of fornication and uncleanness, and a spirit of pride. From
all these the Holy Ghost is separated, which inspireth into
us the contempt of this world ; which openeth unto us the
scriptures, and confirmeth us in truth; which purifieth our
hearts, and maketh our minds chaste, and so preserveth them :
finally,which maketh us lowly and gentle, and driveth away
from us all maliciousness.
The Holy The Same Holy is called the Spirit of God and
Ghost
.Spirit of
God
of the Son: of God, to make a difference between it and
and of the
''"""
the spirit of Satan ; and it is called the Spirit of the Son,
because it is the proper and natural Spirit of the Son, which
he also communicateth unto us that we also might be the
[1 So also ed. 15S4: but ed. 1577, into

us.]
[2 vertiginis, Lat. and Vulgate ; of giddiness, Douay Bible, Isai.
XIX.
14.]
VIII.]
of God. For Paul saith : Ye are the temple of God, i cor.

"
sons lu.
and the Spirit of God dwellcth in you." Again : "

If any uom. vui.
man have not the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his."
And again : "
Because ye are sons, God hath sent the Spirit
of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."

Moreover our Lord himself, in the history of the gospel, The hoIv
*' Ghost is ihc . .
callcth the Holy Ghost a Comforter, saying ; " I will pray y"h''"'iv"
the Father, and he shallgive you another Comforter, that he
may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth, whom
the world cannot receive, because the world seetli him not,
neither knowcth him: but ye know him; for he dwclleth with
you, and shall be in you." For signifietha
TrajoaVXi/ros
comforter, a provoker, an exhorter, an advo-
stirrer up or a cate
or patron which pleadeth the cause of his client. For
the Holy Ghost is the mouth, the eye, the heart, the counsel,
the hand, the foot of all the faithful. Didymus,
and in hisTheHoiy
"
work entitled Z"e Spirltu Sancto, saitli: (Christ),giving ''"'J'^"[,'
the Holy Ghost a name answerable to his working, callethj"yjj,;j,
him the Comforter because he doth not only comfort those
;
whom he findeth ^vorthy of him, and setteth them free from
all heaviness and trouble of mind ; but givetli unto them a
certain incredible joy and gladness, insomuch that a man,
giving God thanks because he is counted worthy of such a
guest, may say, Thou hast given me gladness in my heart :

for everlasting joy and gladness is in the heart of them in
whom the Holy Ghost dwelleth^." The Holy Ghost, verily,
alone maketh the consciences of men void of care, quiet, and

at peace before God in the matter of justificationand in all
temptations of the world. Paul saith : This only I desire [Gai.iu. 2.] "
to learn of you, whether ye have received the Spirit by the

works of the law, or by the preaching of faith." The
apostles being beaten with rods, when they were endued with
the Holy Ghost and had that Comforter present in their
[3 Consolatorem autem venientem Spiritum Sanctum dicit (Sal-

ab operatione ei nomen iraponcns : quia
solum consolatur non
vator),
eos quos dignos repererit, et ab omni tristitiaet perturbatione reddit
se
alienos ; verum incredibile quoddam gaudium et hilaritatem eis tribuit,

in tantum ut possit quis Deo gratias refercns, quod tali hospite dignus
habeatur, dicere, Dedisti tetitiam in corde meo. Sempiterna quippe
laetitiain eorum cordo versatur, quorum Spiritus Sanctus habitator
est. " Didym. Alexandr. de Spir. Sanct. cap. xxv. Biblioth. Vet. Patr.
Tom. VI. fol. 272. col. 2. Hieron. 0pp. Tom. iv. Pars 1. col. 509.]
[Acts V. 41.]
minds, went from
the presence of the council, be-
cause
rejoicing
they were counted v/orthy to suffer reproach for the
name of Christ. So we read in the ecclesiasticalhistory
that the martyrs of Christ, being full of the Holy Ghost,
even in extreme torments and most bitter deaths were most
patient,and sang praises and gave thanks unto God.

The Holy Furthermore, we have heard that the Holy Ghost is
Ghoot is tlie
Spirit of
called of the Lord the Spirit of truth. For in another place
truth.
also he beautifieth him with that name ; for he saith, "When

"
John XV.
the Comforter shall come, whom I will send unto you from
the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from
the Father, he shall bear witness of he is called
me." And
the Spirit of truth, because there is another hypocritical
spirit^ an erroneous and lying spirit in the mouth of all

false prophets. This our Spirit worketh in his worshippers
2,
sincerity, gentleness of mind and integrity. Those he
teacheth all truth. For our Lord elsewhere in the gospel
saith : That Comforter, which

"
is the Holy Ghost, whom
the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all
things, and bring all things to your remembrance, ever

whatso-
I have said unto you." Therefore the Spirit of truth
hath taught the apostles all truth that is to be believed and
all godliness ; and they have delivered the same fully to the
church. For the Holy Ghost driveth away all errors, de-
stroyeth all heresies, confoundeth^ all idolatry and ungodliness,

and poureth true faith into our hearts, and establisheth
true religion in the church. The Acts of the Apostles afford
us very many of examples. By this Spirit of God the
apostles foretold things to come, shadowing out among other
things antichristand the corruption of this our last age, and
admonishing the church lest the elect should be entangled
in and blasphemous
errors wickedness.
The Spirit Now he is called the Spirit of promise, for that he was
of promise
promised of God by the prophets through Christ to the
fathers, to the apostles, and to all that believe the apostles'
doctrineând was at length also through the same Christ
fully given and performed. This word putteth the godly
[1 Spiritus impostor, Lat. omitted; a spiritwhich is a deceiver.]

[2 candorem, Lat.]
[3profligat, Lat.]
[4Rather, Because he was promised from God to the fathers by
VIII.]
in mind, that they should not ascribe the having of this so
great and healthful a gift to their merits, but to the mere

grace of God. And the Holy Ghost is granted, yea, given cai. iii.
unto us, by the promise of God. AVhcreupon it foUoweth

that all the gifts of God are freely given: which thing the
apostle Paul principally proveth, and earnestly beateth into
our heads, in his epistles, specially to the Romans and the
Galatians.
In Luke the Lord
saith : "If I with the finger of God Theiioiy
.
Ghost tlie '
II' 1 n r^ ^
cast out devils, no doubt the kmgdom

* of God is come upon
1
finger of ood.
[Luke xi. 2(1.
you." St Matthew, rehearsing the same
words, saith :
"
If Mau.xii.28
.]
I by the Spirit of God cast out devils, then is the kingdom
of God come upon you." Therefore the Holy Ghost is
called the finger of God, to wit, the might and power of God.
Men of occupations^ work with their fingers: God work-
eth his works by his divine power, I mean, by his Spirit;
whose power is so
great, that even his littlefinger (giveme
leave to
so
speak)surpasseth all the power and strength
in the world. That appeared in those sorcerers of Egypt.
Hxod. viii.
Didymus rehearseth a parable touching the unity of the

divine substance, and admonisheth diligentlyand conveniently, u,"rd sermon
that we should not for corporal things forge and feign unto
whtt
cL'e,'
ourselves a corporal meaning of spiritual things. For he spirkm""^^
^
saith :
"
But beware lest thou, being cast down unto base
hIrL'tfcs'
things, dost imagine in thy
mind diversitiesof corporal ac- Anthropo-
IT-/. ^ ic
morphitesC. "! 1 "
tions, and begin to forge to thyseli magnitudes, and inequa-

lities,
and other members of the body greater and lesser,
saying, that the finger from the hand, and the hand from
him whose hand itis,doth differby many inequalities ; because
the scripture doth now speak of bodiless things, purposing
"to shew the unity only,
and not the measure of substance
also. For as the hand is not divided from the body by
the which it worketh and bringeth all things to an end, and
is in him whose hand it is ; so also the finger is not separated
from the hand whose finger it is. Therefore away with
inequalitiesand measurings when thou thinkest of God ; and
understand the unity of the finger,of the hand, and of the
the prophets, and to the apostles and all who believe the doctrine of
the apostles by Christ.]
[5 opifices,Lat.]
31G THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
whole substance, by -which finger the law was written in

tables of stoned" Thus far he.
The Spirit Now the Holy Ghost is read, as well in the writings of
is called
water, and the prophets as also of the apostles,to be shadowed out by
a lively
continual running fountain.

"
f'ounUiin.
water, and a lively or I will
"
pour out," saith the Lord by Esay, waters upon the thirsty,
and rivers upon the dry ground." And anon by interpreta-

tion
Isai. xliv. he addeth : "I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and
my blessing upon thy stock." And in the gospel the Lord

John vii. saith :
"
If any man thirst,let him come unto me and drink.
He that believeth in me, as saith the scripture, out of his
belly shall flow rivers of water of life." To which in way
of exposition the holy evangelist^ addeth : "But this he spake

of the Spirit,which they that believe in him should receive."
Surely water maketh barren grounds fruitful, cleanseth things
defiled, giveth drink to them that be thirsty, and cooleth
them that are in a heat : so the grace of the Holy Spirit
maketh barrenminds fruitful,to bring forth fruit to the

living God ; by the selfsame grace our hearts are cleansed
from all uncleanness ; the same quencheth the thirst of the
soul, and comforteth it when it is affiicted,and fulfiUeth all
the desires thereof.
The Holy Fire is simple and pure ; and some bodies it consumeth,
Ghost is fire.
and other some it purgeth, making them more fine and clean :
it warmeth also, and hath many profitable and necessary
operations in man. Therefore the Holy Ghost is rightly
shadowed out unto us by fire. For he is pure and simple,

he consumeth the ungodly, cleanseth the faithful from the
\}Verum cave ne ad humilia dejectus . . .

depingas
in animo tuo
corporal ium artuum (Bullingerread actuum) diversitates, et incipias

tibi magnitudines et inajqualitates et cetera
corporum majoravel mi-nora
membra confingere; diccns digitum a manu, ct manum ab eo cujus
est manus, multis inrequalitatibus discrepare ; quia de incorporalibus
nunc scriptura loquitur, unitatem tantum volens, non etiam mensuram
substantia) demonstrare. Sicut cnim manus non dividitur a corpore,
per qucm cuncta pei-ficitet operatur, et in eo est cujus est manus ;
digitus
sic et non separatur a manu
cujus est digitus. Itaque
rejiee
inajqualitates et mensuras de Deo
cogitas, et intellige digiti et
cum
manus et totius substantia? unitatem ; quo digito lex in tabulis lapideis
scripta est. Didym.

" Alex, de Spir. Sanct. capp. 20, 21. Biblioth. Vet.
Patr. Tom. pp. 270, 271. Ilierou. 0pp.
vi. Tom. iv. Par. i. col. 506.]
[2historicus sacer, Lat.j
OF THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST. 317
VIII.]
filthinessof sins, and makcth them to burn with the love
of God and their neighbour, setting them on fire doubtless
with the fire of his love.

When he was given to the apostles in the day of Pen- ^:',;^,J/"
tecost, there was heard a sound as it had been with the l]^^^'^^
force of a mighty wind coming : by which thing was signified,
that the doctrine of godliness should be spread throughout
the whole world by the power of God and wonderful success,
maugre the might of the whole world setting shoulder

against the same all in vain. For the wind (no man staying
it)bloweth through the
whole world, picrceth all places,
and no man can keep it out; it hath also wonderful cft'cctsin
bodies to change them. And the Holy Ghost pierceth allthings;
softeneth men's hearts ; and of froward, stubborn, and rebel-
lious,
he maketh most lowly, modest, and obedient men.
Fiery tongues appear upon the heads of the apostles and
disciplesendued with the Holy Ghost ; signifying doubtless the (;|',f,J/"
t""g"e.
operation or working of the Holy Ghost, of which they were

signs and assurances. For he instructeth,exhorteth, and cora-
forteth the faithful: neither doth he arm his faithfulapostles
with cold tongues, but fiery tongues. The apostles, when

they preached the gospel, seemed not to speak, but to lighten
and to thunder whereupon: also certain of them were called
of our Saviour The sons "
of thunder."
Furthermore, the Holy Ghost appeareth in the likeness
of a dove upon the Son of God, even then when he was
baptized of John Baptist. For a dove is mild and gentle,
without malice or harm^:whereof sprung the proverb,
"manners like a dove, dove-like simplicity;" and, "more The iioiy
1 -n "
1
Ghost a dove.
ill .. 1 1-1
gentle than a dove. Jôr a dove is among birds as a sheep
among four-footed beasts, which thinketh no hurt to any

living creature : whereupon Christ is also called a sheep or isai. liii.
a lamb. Of the Spirit of God therefore the wise man saith Acts viii.
very well : The spiritof wisdom is holy, one only, manifold, Avisd. vii.
"
subtle, quick, moving^, clear^,undefiled, plain*',sweet, loving

the thing that is good, sharp, which cannot be letted, doing
good, kind to man, stedfast,sure, free from care, having all

power^ circumspect in all things, and passing through all
understanding and clean, yea, most subtle spirits."
[^ foUe carens, Lat.] [* disertus, Lat. ; lively,A. V.]
[5 illustris,Lat.] [c certus, Lat.]
The Holy
Ghost oil and
Again, endued with the Holy Ghost are
tlicy that are
anointing. called the anointed of the Lord. For the Holy Ghost is
called both oil and anointing : for unless we be watered of the

Holy Ghost, we wax barren and waste away ; for we are
void of lively and heavenly moisture, and of our own nature
always wither and wax dry. And of this anointing there

went a notable figure before, in the ceremonial anointing of
kings and priests. St John saith : And the anointing "
which ye have received of him dwelleth in you, and ye need

not that any teach you ; but as the same
man
anointing teach-
eth you of all things, and it is true, and not lying, and as
it taught you, abide in it^" For the Lord also saith in
Jer. xxxi. Jeremy This shall be the covenant that I will make with
:
"
Jleb. viii.
the house of Israel after those days ; I will plant my law in
^
the inward parts of them, and write it in their hearts; and
will be their God, and they shall be my people. And from
henceforth shall no man teach his neighbour or his brother,
saying, Know the Lord ; for they shall all know me, from
the lowest unto the highest, saith the Lord. For I will for-
give
their misdeeds, and will never remember their sins any
more."
But shewed a littlebefore that the Holy Ghost is the

we
universal teacher of all truth. Hitherto that seemeth to belongr

which St Paul saith : It is God which hath anointed us, which
"
hath also sealed us, and hath given the earnest of the Spirit
in our hearts."" For now the Holy Ghost is not only called
anointing, but also the sealing up or earnest of our salvation :

for appa, or is a
The Holy
Ghost is the appa(iwv, part of payment, which maketh
earnest of assurance of the whole sum to be paid, to wit, a pledge. And
our inherit-
ance.
surely the Holy Ghost doth now testify,yea, it doth seal and
assure us, that weof God, and that, when time
are the sons
is,we shall be received Into the everlastinginheritance. Paul

Ephes. i. again saith : "Ye are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise,
which is the earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of
the purchased possession,unto the praise of his glory." Ephes. i.
That doth marvellously confirm and comfort the
assurance
minds of the faithfulIn temptations; encourageth them besides

that to patience in adversity, and to holiness of life. For here-
upon
said St John: Little children, ye are of God, and have

"
overcome them ; for greater Is he that is In you, than he that
[1 See above, p 286, and note 2.] [2in mentem, Lat.]

OF THE POWER OF THK HOLY OHOST. 319
VIII.]
is in the world." And again: " Now are wc the sons of God, i John in.
and yet it doth not appear what we shall be : but we know

that, when he shall appear, we shall be like unto him, for we
shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope
in him purgeth himself, even as he also is pure."
And as the Holy Ghost is an

unspeakable knitting
"
to- The how
'' -^ .
Ghost love
gethcr, whereby the three persons are inseparably coupled

"^ chanty,
one
with another in everlasting love and concord ; even so
the same coupleth the spouse of Christ with her spouse witJi
a knot that cannot be loosed, and joineth together between
themselves all the members of his mystical body in an ever-
lasting
covenant. For as the members of our body are joined
together whole and sound the benefit and by
enjoyingof
life^ the mystical
so body of Christ is united together by the
Holy Ghost. Therefore it is no marvel that he is called Rom. v.
or noted with the name of love, which poureth love into our
hearts.
And albeit by these names of the Holy Ghost his opera- The opera-
tion may be understood,

yet will I add certain testimonies of
^lo'v "host.
scripture, out of which his power or effect, especially in us,

may be more fully understood. Esay almost in the beginning isai. xi.
of his prophecy, describing the person of the King our Messias,

among other things saith : The Spirit of the Lord shall rest
"
upon him; the spiritof wisdom and understanding, the spirit

of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge andof the
fear of the Lord ; and shall make him of deep judgmentin
the fear of God'*." Though he declared many, yet hath he
not reckoned up all the powers of the Spirit. Therefore it is
not for us to bring into a strait, and with the common sort to
comprise in a narrow number of seven, the powers of the

Spirit. For we have heard hitherto that there is the spirit
of promise, of doctrine, of humiUty, and gentleness, "c. To
which beside these there are reckoned up very many to-

gether
; for he is the spirit of wisdom : but how great this
is,and how far it reacheth, it is manifest even in the words ^
of Solomon. To wisdom is joinedunderstanding, which is wisdom.
said to be the action and applying of wisdom ordered or

stlndnig,
framed to things, places, times, and persons. Counsel is "
re- counsel.
[3beneficio spiritus,Lat.]
N faciei spirare timorem
eum Domini, Lat.]
[5 in rebus, Lat. ; in the affairs.]
quired and given in doubtful matters, and sheweth what we

strength.
may most conveniently do. Strength ministereth sufficient
force and constancy to execute and perform, yea, and patiently
bear, whatsoever by counsel we have learned either to be
Knowledge, dono or to be suffered. And now knowledge is an experience
Fear.
obtained and gotten by long time and use. Unto these is
fear added, that is to say, godliness and true religion; where-
unto unless we refer all our sayings and doings, wisdom,
understanding, counsel, strength and knowledge, shallnothing
profit us. To be short, whosoever is endued with the Spirit
of God, whatsoever he shall either do or say will savour of

the fear ^ of God ; finally,
he shall say and do all things unto
the glory of God : and all these things truly are freely and
fully drawn out of the only fountain of the Holy Ghost.
Paul the apostle, in his epistleto the Romans, describing
the wonderful force of the Holy Ghost working in us being
new-born, saith : They that are in the flesh cannot please
"
God. But ye are not in the flesh,but in the Spirit,if so be

Thrspirit
clotli mortify -r n
i i
ami quicken, ",^l^"X/^",f^^"
tho Spirit of God dwcll lu you. It any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, the of his. And ifChrist be in
same is none
you, the body is dead because of sin ; but the spiritis lifefor
righteousness""sake. But if the Spirit of him that raised up
Jesus from the dead dwell in you, even he that raised up Christ
from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, because
that his Spirit dwelleth in you."
The
or
Spirit
Holy
apostle in his epistleto the Corinthians teach-
The same
"'" -l .
the "^^^'^^^^^^7 ^^^ rcvelation of the Holy Ghost the mystery of

ve'^'ieth
the kingdom of God is very manifestly opened unto us.
thrk",gdom
I
cor.'îi.
"
God," saith he, " hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit;
for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
For what man knoweth the things of man, save the spiritof
man which is in him ? Even so the things of God knoweth no
man, but the Spirit of God. have not received theAnd we
spiritof the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might
know the things which are given to us of Christ"." Hitherto
pertain these words of our Lord and Saviour out of the holy
John xvi. gospel I tellyou the truth, itis expedient for you that I go
:
"
away ; for if I go not away, that Comforter will not come

unto you ; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when
\} spirabit timorcm, Lat.]

[2a Cliristo,Lat. So Erasmus and Calvin.]
VIII.]
he is come, he will rebuke the world of sin, and of righteous-
ness,
and of judgment : of sin,because they believe not on him^:
I go to the Father, and ye see me
of righteousness,because
no more because the prince of this world is
: of judgment,
judgedalready." And it is evident, that in all these clauses

the whole of religion is contained which the Holy Ghost
sura
most plentifullyhath delivered unto the church : which we also

touched in the exposition of the names of the Holy Ghost.
It followeth in the gospel : " I have yet many things to say
unto you, but ye cannot bear thera away"* now. Howbeit,
when he is which is the Spirit of truth, he will lead
come,
you into all truth. He shall not speak of himself ; but what-
soever
he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will shew The spirit
you things to come^" And since it is certain that the Holy thinHs'to'^"
Ghost is come, it is evident that he led the apostles into all
truth : insomuch that whatsoever agreeth not with their
writings is worthily suspected of a lie. Otherwise I doubt
not but he at this day speaketh in the
church by those
which are his : but it is without controversy, that the Holy
Ghost doth not gainsay himself. And that things to come
were revealed to the apostles by the Spirit,we have touched
in the exposition of the names of the Holy Ghost. Neither
is it doubtful but at this day he revealeth many things to the
saints in the church, even those things which pertain to the
preservation of the gospel of Christ^ and the saints.

Again, we read in the epistleof Paul to the Corinthians :
The manifestation," saith he, of the Spirit is given to
" "
[i cor. xii.
to profitwithal : for to one is given by the Spirit

every man '^'j'^f;
the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge by "oiy Ghost.
the same Spirit; to another is given faithby the same Spirit;

to another the giftsof healing by the same Spirit; to another
power to do miracles ; to another prophecy ; to another dis-

cerning
of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues ; to

another the interpretation of tongues. But all these work-
eth that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man
severally evenhe will." All these things are
as manifest,
neither need they any further exposition. These are great
[3 in rae, Lat.] [* So Tyndale and Cranmer; portare, Lat.]

[5 Hie me gloriftcabit: quia de meo accipiet,et annunciabit vobis,
Lat.
omitted.]
[G veritatis Christianse,Lat.]
[bULLINGER,
III.]
and evident giftsof the Holy Spirit. Unto which also if we add
those words which the same apostle hath set down concerning
GaLv. the same Spirit of God, we will make an end^ :
"
The fruit
of the Spirit," saith he, is love, joj,peace, long-suffering,

"
gentleness, goodness, faith,meekness, temperance." These I
say and all other virtues the Holy Ghost, which worketh all
good things in all men, gratYeth,planteth, preserveth, defendeth,
and bringeth unto full ripeness in the minds of the faithful.
Tertuiiians To all thcse WB wiU now add, instead of a conclusion, the
notable trea- 110 "
("m u- i. ittiî
tiseofthe most notable- treatise oi iertullian touchmg the IIolv Ghost.

Holy Ghost. " "
"
i " -r"
The same is this : Because the Lord was departing into
heaven, he did necessarily give to his disciplesa comforter,
lest he should leave them in a manner orphans, which was not
convenient, and forsake them without a certain advocate and

tutor. For it is he that strengthened their minds and under-
standings,
which distinguished the sacraments of the gospel,
which was in them the giver of light in heavenly things, by
whom being strengthened and established they neither feared

imprisonments nor chains for the name of the Lord ; but
rather set at nought and torments
the very
of this powers
world, being now armed and emboldened through him, having
in them the gifts which this selfsame Spirit doth distribute
and direct,as it were certain ornaments to the church, which

is the spouse of Christ. For it is he that appointeth prophets
in the church, instructeth the teachers, guideth tongues,
worketh miracles, and giveth health, bringeth to pass won-derful

works, sheweth the discerning of spirits,establisheth
governments, endueth with counsel, ministereth and ordereth
and disposeth all other spiritualgifts; and therefore maketh
the church of God on all sides and in all things perfect and
absolute. It is he which in the likeness of a dove, after the
Lord was baptized, descended and remained upon him, dwell-
ing
only in Christ fully andwholly, not maimed or
minished
in any measure or portion, but plentifullyreceived into him
with his whole abundance, that others might obtain from him
a certain distributionof
gifts;the fountain of the fulness of the
Holy Ghost wholly remaining in Christ, that from him might
be derived veins of gifts and miracles, the Holy Ghost most
isai. xi. abundantly dwelling in Christ. For Esay prophesying the same
said :
'
And the spiritof wisdom and understanding, the spirit
[1 vela coUigemus, Lat.] [2elegantissimam, Lat.j
VIII.]
of counsel and strength, the spiritof knowledge and godliness,

resteth upon him. And the spiritof the fear of the Lord filled
him.' The like and selfsame saying he hath also in another place
in the person of the Lord himself: 'The Spirit of the Lord isai. ixi.
upon me, because he hath anointed me ; to preach the gospel

to the poor hath he sent me.' Likewise David : 'Wherefore Psai. xiv.
thy God hath

anointed thee with the oil of gladness above
thy fellows.' Of this Spirit the apostle Paul speaketh : for
'
he that hath not the Spiritof Christ, the same is none of his.'isom. vin.
'And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.' This 2 cor. ai.
is he which by water the second birth of tion^,

worketh regenera-
being a certain seed of heavenly generation ; and he
that consecrateth the heavenly nativity, being a pledge of the
promised inheritance, and as it were a certain handwriting of
everlasting salvation ; who maketh us the temple of God, and
bringeth to pass that we be his dwelling-house; who perform-
eth the office of an advocate, maketh intercession for us in
the hearing of God with sighs that cannot be uttered ; and
pouring forth his giftsof defence, is given to be a dweller in
our hearts and a worker of holiness ; who exercising that in
us, bringeth our bodies into everlastingness and unto the
resurrection of immortality, while he accustometh them to be
partakers in liim of his heavenly power, and to be coupled
with the heavenly eternity of the Holy Ghost. For our
bodies are trained up in him and by him to proceed to
immortality, whilst they learned to behave themselves mode-
rately
according to his ordinances. For it is he that lusteth
contrary to the flesh, because the flesh fighteth against him.

It is he which bridleth insatiablelusts,which tameth immode-
rate
concupiscences, which quencheth unlawful desires, which

which abhorreth drunkenness,
vanquisheth flaming afi'ections,
which banisheth covetousness, which abandoneth riotous ban-
quetings, which knitteth the knot of love and charity, which
subdueth the affections,driveth away sects, sheweth the rule
of truth, convinceth heretics, casteth out the wicked, and is a
defence to the gospel. Of him the apostle also saith : ' For l' cor. ii.12.]
we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit
which is of God.' Of this Spirit he triumpheth and saith :

'
I think verily that I have the Spirit of God.'
And Of him ] cor. vii.
he saith : ' And the Spirit of the prophets is to the 1 tor. xw.
subject
[3 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, or
regeneration.]
21"2
1 Tim. iv.
prophets.' Of him
he saith again : * Now the Spuut speak-
eth evidently, that in the latter times some shall depart from
the faith, giving heed unto spiritsof error and doctrines of
devils, Ts^hichspeak false in hypocrisy, having their conscience
1 Cor. xii. seared with an hot iron.' No man being guided by this Spirit
'
calleth Jesus execrable ;' no man denieth that Christ is the Son
of God, or forsaketh God the Creator ; no man uttereth any

of his own words against the scriptures,neither doth any man
establish other wicked decrees; no man commandcth contrary
[Markiii. Liws. '
Whosoevcr blasphemeth
against this Spirit shall never
[Matt. xii. have forgiveness, neither in this world, nor in the world to
32.] . " .
come.' It is he that in the apostles beareth witness to Christ,

that sheweth constant faith of religion in martyrs, that plant-
eth marvellous continency of assured love in virgins, that

keepeth the laws of the Lord's doctrine uncorrupted and
undefiled in others, that confoundeth heretics, reformeth the

froward, reproveth the unfaithful, revealeth dissemblers, and
punisheth the wicked, and preserveth the church chaste and

unstained in pureness of perpetual virginity and holiness of
truth'." Thus far Tertullian.
\} Quoniam Dominus iu coelos asset abiturus, paracletum discipulis
necessario dabat, ne illos quodammodo pupillos (quod minime decebat)

relinqueret, et sine advocate et quodam tutore Hie est desereret.
enim qui ipsorum animos mentesque firmavit, qui evangelica sacra-
menta distinxit, qui in ipsis illuminator rerum divinarum fuit, quo
confirmati pro nomine Domini nee carceres nee vineula timuerunt,

quinimo ii:)sasseculi potcstates et tormenta caleaverunt, armati jam
scilicet per ipsum atque firmati, habentes in se dona qua3 hie idem
Spiritus ecelesife Christi sponsce quasi quoedam ornamcnta distribuit
et dirigit. Hie est enim in ecclesia constituit, magistros

qui propbetas
erudit, linguas dirigit,virtutes et sanitates facit, opera mirabilia gerit,
discretiones spirituum porrigit, gubcrnationes contribuit, consilia sug-
gerit, qua^que alia sunt charismatum dona componit et dirigit; et ideo
ecclesiam Domini undique et in omnibus perfeetam et consummatam

faeit. Hie est qui in modum eolumba?, posteaquam Dominus bapti-
zatus est, super eum venit et mansit, habitans in solo Christo plenus
ct totus, nee in aliqua mensura aut portione mutilatus, sed cum tota
sua redundantia cumulate distributus et missus, ut ex illo delibati-

onem quandara gratiarum cetcri consequi possint, totius Sancti Spi-
ritus
in Christo fonte remanente, ut ex illo donorum
atque operum
vena5 ducerentui', Spiritu Sancto in Christo affluenter habitante. Hoc
etenim prophetans Esaias aiebat : Et requicscit, inquit, super eum

Spiritus sapientiaj et intcllcctus, Spiritus consilii et virtutis, Spiritus
Bcientia; ct pietatis, et implevit cum Spiritus timoris Dei. Hoc idem

VIII.] OF THE POAVER OF THE HOLY GHOST. 325
Thus far, not without trembling, -wo have entreated of a of sum
the most holy mystery of the reverend Trinity, the Father, trinuyof''"
the Son, and the Holy Ghost, which we have learned out of
the scriptures: and here now we
will stay, humbly worship-
atquc ipsum et alio in loco ex persona ipsius Domini : Spiritus Domini

super me, me,
propter quod unxit cvangelizare pauperibus misit me.
Similiter David : Propterea unxit te Deus, Deus tuus, oleo la;titia5 a
consortibus tuis. De hoc Apostolus Paulus : Qui enim Spiritum Christi

habet, hie non
non est ejus: Et, Ubi Spiritus Domini, ibi libertas.
Hie est qui operatur ex aquis secundam nativitatem, semen quoddam
divini generis, et consecrator coelestis nativitatis, pignus promisste
hajrcditatis, et quasi cliirograi)Lum quoddam reternrc salutis ; qui nos
Dei faciat templum, et nos cfficiatdomum ; qui interpellat divinas
ejus
aures pro nobis gemitibus ineloquacibus, advocationis implens ofDcia
et defensionis exhibens munera, inhabitator corporibus nostris datus,
et sanctitatis effector ; qui id agens in nobis, ut ad a3ternitatem et ad
resurrectionem immortalitatis corpora nostra perducat, dum ilia in se
assuefacit cum
coelesti virtute misceri, et cum Spiritus Sancti divina
Ecternitate sociari. Erudiuntur enim in illo et per ipsum corpora
nostra ad immortalitatem proficere, dum ad decreta ipsius discunt se
moderanter temperare. Hie
enim qui contra carnem
est desiderat,
quia caro contra ipsum repugnat. Hie est qui inexplebiles cupiditates
coercet, immoderatas libidines frangit, illicitosardores extinguit, fla-
grantes impetus
vincit, ebrietates rejicit,avaritias repellit,luxuriosas
comessationes fugit, caritates nectit, atfectiones constringit, sectas
rejiellit,regulam veritatis cxpedit, ha;reticos revincit, improbos foras
exspuit, evangelia custodit. De hoc item Apostolus : Non enim spi-
ritum
mundi accepimus, sed Spiritum qui ex Deo est. De hoc exultat
et dicit : Puto autem quia et ego Spiritum Dei habeo. De hoc dicit :
Et Spiritus prophetarum prophetis est. De hoc I'efert: Spi-
ritus
subjectus
autem manifeste dicit quia in novissimis temporibus recedent
quidam fide,
a attendentes spiritibus seductoribus, doctrinis dsemoni-
orum in hypocrisi mendacia loquentium, cauteriatam habentium con-
scientiam suam. In hoc Spiritu positus nemo unquam dicit anathema

Jesum, nemo negavit Christum Dei Filium, aut repudiavit creatorem
Deum ; nemo contra verba depromit, nemo
scripturas uUa sua alia et
sacrilega decreta constituit, nemo diversa jura conscribit. In hunc
quisquis blasphemaverit, remissionem non habet, non tantum in isto
seculo, verum etiam nee in future. Hie in apostolis Christo testimo-

nium
reddit, in martyribus constantem fidem

religionis ostendit, in
virginibus admirabilem continentiam signatee caritatis includit, in
ceteris incorrupta et incontaminata doctrina? dominiese jura custodit ;
hsereticos destruit, perversos corrigit, infideles arguit, simulatores os-
tendit,
improbos quoquo corrigit, ecclesiam incorruptam et inviolatam
perpetuse virginitatis et veritatis sanctitate custodit. Novatian. " de

Trin. cap. 29. TertuU. 0pp. pp. 741, 742. Col, Agrip.]
in trinity and in And

ping this Unity Trinity unity. lot
us keep in mind acknowledge and or division this distinction
most manifestly declared in the scriptures, and the unity also
commended unto us with exceeding great diligence. For in
the scripture theof doing and the flowing foun-

beginning tain
and well-spring of all things is attributed to the Father ;
counsel, and the very dispensation in doing things

wisdom,
is ascribed to the Son ; and the force and effectual power of
working is assigned to the Holy Ghost. Howbeit, let us take
heed lest through the distinction we separate the unity of
the substance of God ; for there is but one God in whom
those properties are. It is but one fire, though there be
three things seen in it, light, brightness, and heat. For
these rise together, and cease all at once. The hght goeth
not before the brightness, neither the brightness before the
heat. And though one thing be attributed to the light, an-
other
thing to the brightness, and a third thing to the heat ;
yet they work unseparably. Therefore when we read that

God created the world, we understand that the Father from
whom are all things, by the Son by whom are all things,
in the Holy Ghost in whom are all things, created the world.
And when read that the
we Son became flesh, suffered, died,
and rose again for our salvation, we believe that the Father
and the Holy Ghost, though they were not partakers of

his incarnation and passion, yet notwithstanding that they
that our salvation by the Son, whom we believe
wrought
never to have been separated from them. And when sins
are to be forgiven in the Holy Ghost, we believe thafc
said
this benefit and all other benefits of our blessedness are
unseparably given and bestowed upon us from one, only,

true, living, and everlasting God, who is the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Ghost. To whom be praise and thanks-
giving
for ever and ever. Amen.
IX.] OF GOOD SPIRITS. 327
OF GOOD AND EVIL SPIRITS; THAT IS, OF THE HOLY

ANGELS OF GOD, AND OF DEVILS OR EVIL
SPIRITS; AND OF THEIR OPERATIONS.
THE NINTH SERMON.
Next unto of the Holy Ghost I will add

this sermon
a treatise of
good and evil spirits,that is, of the holy angels
of God, and of devils or -wicked spirits,and of their operations:
of -whom since the holy scripture delivereth us an
assured doctrine and in all points profitable,it seemeth that

we ought not lightly to regard it, but with as much faith
and diligence as we can to bring it unto light. It were a
foul fault in him that studieth after godliness, to be ignorant
of the dispositions of good and evil angels, of whom so
often mention is made in the holy scriptures ; yea, it were

a thing most dangerous, not to know what manner of crea-
tures
the devils are, which under that name might easily
deceive and spoil us. But firstwe will speak of holy angels,
and then of devils or spirits^
The angel some
word say to be a name of office^,not An angei.
of nature, and is common to the Latins and Greeks, of whom

it is borrowed, and it signifiethan ambassador or legate, and
therefore it hath larger signification. For the preachers of
a
the truth are called angels, as in Malachy, and in the apostle Mai. ii." \\\.
PauP; for they are the ambassadors or "messengers of the

Lord of hosts." St Peter also callethevilspiritsangels : as Paul [2 pet. n. 4.]
also doth saying, that the faithful shall one day judge the [i cor. vi. 3.]
angels* ; and that the angel or messenger of Satan was sent 2 cor. xii.
unto him. Howbeit the scripture peculiarly calleth angels the

blessed spiritsof God, ministers,and messengers, and heavenly
armies ^
\y or
spirits,not in Lat.]
[2Angelus enim officiinomen est, non naturae. August. Tract, de "
60 quod dictum est a Deo ad Moysen, Ego sum qui sum. (Incertiauc-
toris.) 0pp. Tom. vi. fol. 179. col. 4. Par.

1532.]
[3 In his Commentary on Cor. xi, 10, Bullinger first explains
1
" "
the angels of the heavenly beings, and then says : Alii per angelos
verbi ministros intelligunt.]

["*Hunc locum exponens (Theophylactus) angelos, ait, dfemones
ipsos appellat. Sunt enim et hi per nos condemnandi. Bulling. Com-
ment,
in 1 Cor. vi.
3.]
[5 satellites,Lat. ; heavenly, the translator's
addition.]
That there But thc Sadducces denied that there be angels; for
are niiccls.
[Actsxxiii. Luke in the Acts of the Apostles saith: "The Sadducces say
that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit; but the
Pharisees confess both." And indeed the whole scripture
doth testify that there are angels, making mention in many
places that they have appeared unto men, and have revealed
unto them the will of God, or otherwise accomplished his
work. Truly the Lord Jesus reasoning against the Sadducees
Matt. xxii. in the gospel saith: "Ye err, not knowing the scriptures, nor
thc power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry,
nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in
heaven." Let us angels. For
therefore believe that there are
the authority of the Son of God, and the irrevocable truth of

the holy scriptures, ought worthily to win more credit with
us than the toys of all Sadducees and wicked men. What,
A. steuchus have not the heathenish
and philosophers confessed
poets
in his fith , , iii iii^
and 8th book that thcrc are

angels, whom they call gods? For they,
phUosopkiaK feigning that gods in the likeness of men were lodged and
entertained of righteous men, seemed to all learned men to

have meant nothing else than that which the holy scriptures
make mention of, how Abraham and Lot received angels into
their houses resembling strangers. But howsoever the case
standeth, most certain it is,both by the holy scripture and

by manifold experience, that there are blessed spiritsof God,
that is to say, good angels.
What angels Now the uature of angels is,it cannot throughly be
what
are.
declared of any man. For there are many things in the

directly and perfitly
order of creatures, whose nature cannot
be expounded : they may nevertheless after a sort, according
to capacity, be shadowed out.
our Some therefore there are
which say that angels are good spirits,ministers, of a

fiery
nature, created for the ministery or service of God and good

men. Other some say angels are heavenly spirits, whose
ministery and service God useth to execute all things which
he hath determined. Wherefore we shall not seem to miss
much of the mark, if we say that angels are good spirits,

heavenly substances (I mean
uncorruptible),created for the
ministery or service of God and men.
[1 Aujiustini Stcuclii Eugubini de perenni philosopbia. Lib. viii.

he quotes Callimachus, Homer, Catullus, and Virgil.
cap. G, S. iu which
0pp. Tom. n. foil. 140,142. Venet. 1591.]
OF GOOD SPIUITS. 329
IX.]
That angels
o created of God, the writings
are
o of the That anRcis
'
cieated. arc
^ ^
prophets and apostles do Tritncss. For Paul citeth that
saying of David,
"
Which maketh his angels spirits,and his ucb. i.
ministers a flame of fire." The same apostle saith : "Bycoi.
i.
Christ all things are created, that are in heaven and that are
^
in earth, visibleand invisible,whether they be or
majesties
lordships, either rules or powers." AVherefore heretics have
set forth toys, saying that angels are workers in the creation
of all things and co-eternal with God : for God in time by
the Son as well created angels as all other creatures.
Now touchins: the time when angels were wiienanReis
created, were '
"^ o
created.
whether with the light before man, or after man, and all the
works of God, let him tellthat can ; the holy scripture passing
it over with silence, and pronouncing no certainty thereof.
Epiphanius" and Augustinus^ ancient interpreters of the
scriptures, learnedly and truly confess that there is nothing
delivered in the scriptures of that matter : and that which
is not deUvered in the scriptures cannot without danger be
inquired after, but without danger we may be ignorant
thereof. It is sufficientto acknowledge that angels were
created, at what time soever it seemeth they were created.
Let us rather give God thanks that he hath created for
mankind excellent ministers. Let us live an holy and

so
angel-like hfe in the sight of God's holy angels. Let us

watch lesthe, which transfigureth and turneth himself into an
angel of light,under a good shew and likeness deceive us.
Now we must further see what manner of creatures Angeisare
, ^ bubatances.
angels are : they are heavenly spirits,and mcorruptible and

most swift substances. We say expressly that angels are
substances, that is to say, creatures having essence or being.
For some deny that they are substances, subsisting in their
proper essence being ; for they imagine that angels are
or
nothing else than qualities,motions, or inspirations of good

minds. But the canonical scripture
i calleth them ministers. }l^,^\}-
[Matt. xxii. :
Our Saviour saith, that they which rise again shall be like ^*'-^
[2 throni, Lat.]
[3 OvbafjLov yap TTjXavyas (rrjfiaiveitov xpovov ttjs tmp dyyekav iroi-
jyo-eo)?. Epipban,
"
adr. Hisr. Lib. ii. Tom. ii. p. 611. 0pp. Tom. i. Par.
1622.]
[* Augustin. de Genesi ad lit.0pp. Tom. in. fol. 102. col. 4. De
Incarnat. Verbi. Tom. fol. 209. col.
iv.
3.]
[Heb. i. 6.]
unto the angels of God. St Paul declareth that the Son of
God is more excellent than the angels, for that they worship
him as God
their creator. The selfsame apostle saith : "For
ye shall read in no place that the Son taketh on him the
ansels, but the seed of Abraham taketh he on him." Which

testimonies most manifestly teach that angels are substances,
not qualities or motions in men's minds ; that I say nothing
now, how they have oftentimes appeared unto men in likeness
or shape of men. Let us therefore hold and confess that
angels are substances.
What Furthermore, what substances angels are, other perad-
manner of
substances
venture have better declared : for the which I bear no man
angels are.
grudge. I confess that there are good spirits,to make ference

dif-
of them that are evil ; whereof shall be spoken

hereafter. I confess that they are good, not so much for
the goodness of their nature in which they continued, as for
their operation or working ; for they always stir up and
further us to that which is good. I confess also that angels
are spirits,that is to say, spiritual,heavenly, incorruptible,
and exceeding swift substances : for the scripture witnesseth
and saith, "Which maketh his angels spirits,and his minis-
ters
a I
flame of fire." The scripture, say, nameth angels
spiritsand flame of fire,not that angels of their own

a nature
and substance are corporal fire,but because fire after a sort

resembleth them which in clearness, beauty, and incorruptible-
ness, and also in swiftness, quickness, and brightness, are the
Bodily stances.most
sub- beautiful and exellent creatures. The schoolmen's defi-
nitions
say, that the angels are bodily sub-

^
grossly enough stances,
but of their own kind ; for God only is without body.
In these words therefore thus they have set down :
"
Every
creature is bodily ; angels and all heavenly powers are bodily,
though they consist not of flesh. Now hereby we believe
that they are bodily, because they are limited in place, as
^
the soul also is clothed with flesh. (Angelsperadventure
at this day are more aptly said to be local or in place, not
circumscriptively, but definitively^.) We must believe that
nothing by nature is bodiless and invisible but God only,

that is to say, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost : who
[1 Definitioncs ecclesiastics, Lat.]

[2 So also ed. 1584 : but ed. 1577, inclosed.'\
[3 G. Majoris0pp. Tom. ii. fol. 522. Witeb. 1; 169.]
OF GOOD SPIRITS. 331
IX.]
therefore is rightly believed to be bodiless, because he is in

every place, and fulfiUeth and conservcth all things ; and
therefore he is invisibleto all creatures, because he is without
body'." Thus much from them.
But those bodies either of young men or
old men, in what bodies
taken of
'"^'^
1 1 /" 1
which angels oftentimes appeared unto not the fathers, were anseis.
their proper or natural bodies, but taken upon them and

as it were borrowed from elsewhere for a time and for the
weakness of our capacity. And what manner of bodies

those same which they took, or from whence
very bodies were
they were they were bestowed
taken, or where when they
had ended their business^, it is very hard to declare. St
Augustine, in his Enchiridion ad Laurent, cap. 59, saith :
"
Who can declare with what manner bodies they have ap-
peared
unto men, that they might not only be seen but be
touched, and again convey not with sound substance of
flesh but by spiritualpower certain visions,not to the bodily
eyes, but to the eyes of the spiritor mind, or tell something

not in the ear outwardly but inwardly in the mind of man,
even they themselves being therein ; as it is written in the
book of the prophets, ' And the angel said unto me, which
spake in me?"" (forhe saith not which spake unto me, but
in me in one's sleep, and talk toge-
ther
;)or that appear even
after the manner of dreams ? for we have in the
gospel, Behold the angel of the Lord appeared unto him
'
[Matt, i.j
in his sleep, saying,' "c. for by these means angels do as

it were declare that they have not bodies which can be
handled. And they make a very hard question, how the
fathers did wash their feet; how Jacob by taking so fast
hold wrestled with the angel. When these things come in
question, and every one giveth his conjecture as he is able,

their heads are not unfruitfullyoccupied, if a moderate dis-
[4 Nihil
incorporeum et invisibilo natura credendum, nisi solum
Deum, id est, Patrem et Filium et Spiritum sanctum. Qui idee recte
incorporeus crcditur, quia ubique est et omnia implet atque constringit;
ideo et inyisibilisomnibus creaturis, quia incorporeus est. Creatura
omnis corporea angeli, et omnes
est : ccelestes virtutes corporese ; licet
non carneso subsistant. Ex eo autem corporeas esse credimus, quod
localiter cii'cumscribuntur, sicut et anima humana, quae carne claudi-
tur. " August, de Ecclos. Dogm. capp. 11, 12. 0pp. Tom. iii. fol. 42.
col. 3. Par. 1532.]

[5 post dispensationem, Lat.]
putation be taken in hand, and the error of them which

think they know that which indeed they know not be re-
moved.
For what needs it that these and such Hke things be
affirmed or denied, or defined with danger, since we may

be ignorant of them without blame ^?" Thus far he. In
these and such hke causes let us acknowledge his omnipo-
tency and wonderful dispensation, who doth what he will :
to whom truly it is not hard to create substances fit and
agreeable for his purpose and appointment, since of nothing
he made all visibleand invisiblecreatures.
Anseisare Morcover affirm that angels through the grace and
we
ruiHibie. power of God are incorruptible substances, yea, and un-

changea
in their felicity,without burden and hinderances.
For St Augustine also, ad Pet. Diac. de Fide, cap. 23,
"
saith, that unchangeableness was not by nature graffed in
2."
angels, but freely given by the grace of God The same
Augustine, De Vera Religione, cap. 13, saith: "We must
confess that angels by nature are only changeable, if God

be unchangeable ; but in that will,wherewith they love God
rather than themselves, they remain stedfast and stable in

him, and his being most willingly to
enjoy majesty, subject
\} Iteraque angeli quis explicet cum qualibus corporibus apparu-
erint hominibus, ut non solum cernerentur, yerum etiam tangerentur ;
et rursus non
solida corpulentia sed spiritalijjotentia quasdam visiones
non oculis corporeis, sed spiritalibus vel mentibus ingerant ; vel dicant
aliquid non ad aurem forinsecus, sed intus in animo hominis, etiam

ibidem ipsi constituti ; sicut scriptum est in prophetarura libro, Et
dixit mibi qui loquebatur
angelus, in me? (non enim ait, Qui loque-
batur ad me, sed, in me in somnis, et coUoquantur
:)vel appareant et
more somniorum ? Habemus quippe in evangelio : Ecce angelus Do-
mini
apparuit illiin somnis, dicens. His enim modis velut indicant se
angeli conti-ectabilia corpora non habere. Faciuntque difficillimam
qusestionem, patres eis pedes laverint ? quomodo

quomodo Jacob cum
angelo tam solida contrectatione luctatus sit? Cum ista quseruntur,
ct ea sicut potest quisque conjectat, non inutiliter exercentur ingenia,

si adhibeatur disceptatio moderata, et absit error oi:)inantium se scire
quod nesciunt. Quid enim opus est ut ha3C atque luijusmodi affii"-
mentur, vel negentur, vel definiantur cum discrimine, quando sine
crimine nesciuntur? August.
"
Encbirid. ad Laurent, caj). 59. 0pp.
Tom. nr. fol. 37. col. 1.]
[2 Sed hoc ipsum, quod ab illo statu beatitudinis, in quo sunt,
mutari in deterius nullatenus possunt (angeli), non est eis naturaliter

insitum, sod postquam creati sunt gratia) divina) largitate collatum.
"
Id. dc Fide ad Pctrum Diac. 0pp. Tom. m. fol. 49. col. 4.]
IX.]
him alone ^^ With
these words agree those which are read
in Gl, in this wise: "The
Definit.Eccles., cap, angchcal
powers, which continued stedfast in the love of God when the
proud angels fell,received this in way of recompenco, that
henceforth they should never feel the fretting bite of the
tooth of sin to seize upon them, and that they should con-
tinually
the sight of their Creator Avithout end of fe-
licity
enjoy
; and in him so created should continue in everlasting
stedfastness*." Thus far he. Truly the scripture,shewing
the incorruptibleness of angels, affirmeth that we in the re-
surrection
shall be like the angels ; for we shall rise incor- i cor. xv.
ruptible : therefore angels are incorruptible. For thus saith

our Saviour :
"
Thechildren of this world marry wives, and LuUexx.
are
married: but they that shall be counted worthy to
enjoy
that world, and the resurrection from the dead, do not marry
wives, neither are married, neither can they die any more ;
for they are equal with the angels, and are the sons of God,
insomuch as they are the children of the resurrection."
"Whereupon Theodoretus, In Divinis Decretis, hath thus in-
ferred
:
"
AYe do not therefore reckon the angels in the
number the poets and
of gods, as philosophers of the Gre-
cians
do ; neither do we divide natures that are
without
bodies into the male and female kind. For to a nature im-
mortal,
or that cannot die, division of kind is superfluous :
for they have no need of increasing, since they feel no di-
"c.
minishing^"
But that the angels are most free and swift, and without a ngeis are
[3 Fatendum
est enim et angelos natura esse mutabiles, si solus
Deus est incommutabilis ; sed ca voluntate, qua magis Deum quam se
diligunt, firmi et stabiles manent in illo,et fruuntur ipsius,

majostate
ei uni libentissime subditi. Id. de Vera Relig. cap. 13. 0pp. Tom. i,
"
fol. 149. col. 3.]

[4 Virtutes angelicse, quce in divino amore fixa3 perstiterunt, lapsis
superbientibus angelis, hoc munere

retributionis acceperunt, ut nulla
jam I'ubigine surripientis culpa? mordeantur, ut et in contemplatione
conditoris sine felicitatis fine permaueant, et in hoc sic conditse seterna
stabilitate subsistant. Id. de Eccles. dogmat."
cap. 61. 0pp. Tom. m.
fol. 42. col. 4.]

[" Se ayye\ovs ovre
Tovs Kara tovs twv KWt]vcov iroirjTas Koi (fnXo-
deonoioviKV, Koi els 6r]\v nai appev ttjv daoifiaTOv tiUKpivofiev(f)v"Tiv
(r6(f)ovs
8e ddavarco irepiTTTjtov Biaipecris,
ovre
. . .
,TTJ (fivcrei yivovs tj yap av^rjaecos

deourai prj peiovpevoi. Theodoret. "
Heeret. Fab. Lib. v. cap. 7. p. 265.
Tom. IV. Lut. Par. 1642.]
334 THE FOUliTH DECADE. [sERM.
most free, impediment, and let, tlie scripture in many

burden, places
speedy. dcclareth. In the Acts of the Apostles thus we read : The "
priests put the apostles in the common prison; but the angel
of the Lord by night opened the prison-doors, and brought
them forth, and said, Go and stand and speak in the temple
unto all the words of this life. But when
the people the
officerscame, and found them not in the prison, they returned
and told, saying, The prison truly found we shut with all
diligence,and the keepers standing without before the doors."
Actsxii. In the same book
thus again we read written: Herod put
"
Peter in prison ; and Peter slept between two soldiers,bound
with two chains, and the keepers before the door kept the
prison. And the angel of the Lord was
behold there pre-
sent,"
or stood by him, and a light
"
shined in the prison :
and he smote Peter on the side, and stirred him up, saying,
Arise up quickly; and his chains felloff from his hands. And
anon, when they were past the firstand second watch, they came
unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city, which opened
unto them by the own accord." Behold, no impediments
or lets,how
strong and mighty soever they were, hindered
or stayed the angel of the Lord, that he might not execute
most speedily the commission which he had from God. All
things give place and make way to the Lord's ambassador.
The iron chains fell from Peter's hands of their own accord :
he walketh safe through the thick troops of soldiers, the
angel going before him lock of the prison-door, no

: the
man
opening it,is unlocked ; and when the servants of God
were gone out, it is shut again. These angels, that is to
say, these heavenly ambassadors, being of their own nature
most swift and speedy spirits, are now conversant in heaven,
the power of God so
willing and working : but so soon as
it shall please the Lord of all, by and by they are present

with men in earth, unto whom they are sent of God from
heaven. And they are present in earth, sometime with one,
and sometime with another. Not that they are not contained
in their proper place : for when the angel told the women
of Christ's resurrection, he was not at the same instant in

heaven and by the grave or sepulchre at once. For God
only is not contained in place ; for he is present in every
place. But angels go not forward fair and softly,neither
are they moved with labour or toihng, after the manner of
IX.]
corruptiblebodies. Yet in the scriptures they arc expressly
said to ascend into heaven, and from thence to descend unto

us. We very rightly believe that our souls, as soon as they
depart out of the bodies, do forthwith enter into the king-

dom
^
of heaven : for the Lord hath said in the gospel,
"
But hath escaped from death unto life; " and, To-day John "
v.
shalt thou be with me in paradise." And thou dost read of

Lazarus the beggar: "And it came to pass that the beggar Luuexvi.
died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom."

To this also now seemeth that saying of Daniel to belong :
"
As I was yet a speaking, making supplication, and con- Dan. ix.
fessing mine own sin and the sin of my people Israel, and
pouring forth my prayers before the Lord my God for the
holy hill of my God ; yea, while I was yet speaking in my
prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen before in the
vision, cameflying hastily unto me." Lo, our souls are

carried up into heaven by the angels, which notwithstanding
arc elsewhere said at an instant to be taken up into heaven.
Afterward, as soon as Daniel had

prayed unto the Lord, the
angel, without any longer delay, flying speedily, (forso the
is present with him that
scripture speaketh for our capacity,)
prayeth, and sheweth him that he is heard of God. Angels
therefore are passing speedy, being kept down
swift and
with no weight, neither hindered nor stayed from perform-
ing
those things for which they are sent from heaven ; albeit
they are contained in place as creatures (thoughnot limited),
and are moved with a certain order and manner agreeable
to that spiritualnature.
This treatise requireth perad venture that something also The strength
'^"^^''"
be spoken of the might, power, and strength of the angels."
But what need many words in a manifest matter? For
since the Lord, who sendeth forth his angels, is almighty,

there is nothing but that angels can do it in those their
ambassages and ministeries. There is nothing in the whole

course of nature, that is able to withstand the ministers of
the almighty God. For angels are not called powers and
virtues for nought. I will shew one example among many,
yet not the chiefest. One angel in one night, without
îngs xix.
and
rians,.[|
any furniture or much ado, slew in the tents of the Assy-
at the walls of Hierusalem, a hundred fourscore and
[1 regiam, Lat.; the

palace.]
five thousand of the vahantest soldiers. In Daniel we have

such a description of an angel, whereby both the power
and excellency of angels may be gathered. His body," "
saith he,
"
was like the Turkisli or jasperstone, his face
to look upon was like lightning, his eyes as lampsof fire,
his arm and feet were like in colour to polished brass \
and the voice of his words was like to the voice of a mul-
titude."
So that it is not needful to make a long discourse
of the knowledge and wisdom of angels ; for this is not a

thing that passeth capacity, seeing angels are creatures. But
The know- insomuch pertaineth to their ambassages and ministeries,
as
lnli;e of
anyels. surely they are most wise, in all points furnished, and in no
part diminished. For he that sendeth them is everlasting
wisdom itself,and he furnisheth his ambassadors most per-
fitly.
Furthermore,touching the multitude and order of angels
certain divines have wittily and wisely enough disputed. The
Of the mul-
titude
scripture simply afRrmeth that angels are innumerable. For
and
order
ansels.
of Daniel saith : " A thousands ministered unto him,
thousand
and ten thousand thousands stood before him." It is also
Dan. vii.
read that Christ said to Peter : Thinkest thou that I can-
"
not
[10.]
pray unto my Father, and he shall send unto me more
Matt. xxvi. than twelve leg-ions of angels ?" Paul also saith : " Ye are
[53.]
come into the city of the living God, the heavenly Jeru-salem,
Heb. xii. and to an innumerable company of angels." Many
[22.]
distinguish that innumerable multitude into nine companies ;
and these again they bring into three hierarchies or holy
of which they affirm that each of them have
principalities,
three orders : the first, seraphim, cherubim, thrones ; the
second, lordships, virtues, powers ; the third, principalities,
archangels, and angels. They add in what they differ between
themselves, and what is proper to every one of them.
But St Augustine, in his Enchir. cap. 58, saith : "
Wherein
lordships, principahties, and powers do differ between selves,
them-
let them tell that can : if yet they are able to prove
that they say. I confess myself to be ignorant of these
^.^
matters And the same Augustine, Ad Orosium contra
[1seris candentis, Lat.]

[2 Et quid inter so distent ilia vocabula, quibus universam
quatuor
ipsam ccelestcm societatem videtui' apostolus esse complexus, dicendo,
Sive sedes, sive dominationes, sivo principatus, sive potestates, dicant
qui possunt; si tamen possunt probare quod dicunt. Ego mc ista
IX.]
Luscilllanistas, saith: "
Truly the apostle salth, "Whether
seats (thrones),
whether lordships, whether principalities,
whether powers. And therefore that there are seats, lord-
ships,
principalities,and powers in the hosts of heaven, I

stedfastly bcheve ; and that they differ somewhat between
themselves, I hold it for an undoubted truth : but what they
are, and what they differ between themselves, I know not.
Neither truly do I think myself for the ignorance thereof
to be endangered, as I am for disobedience if I neglect the
Lord's commandments^"" And anon in the same place he
sheweth that we must not busily and curiously search after
these things : whose counsel we do willingly obey, perceiv-
ing
that the scriptures, which minister unto us all things
necessary and healthful, have set down nothing concerning
them.
Yet this we cannot deny, that those names (or if you
will so call them, orders of angels)are expressed in the
holy scriptures: whereupon for our weakness it is meet after
a sort to expound them as we may. These blessed spiritsof The expo-
heaven seem generally and simply to be called angels, because names given
they be the messengers and ambassadors of the most high Angeis.
God who it appeareth are called archangels, when they be
: Archangeu.
sent in message in God's greatest matters, to shew or do
things altogether hard and heavenly. For so we read in

Paul, that "
the Lord himself shall descend from heaven i ihess. iv.
in a in the voice of an archangel, and in the

shout, and
trump of God." For, that we may compare small things
with great, we see that kings and pinnces in weighty affairs
appoint none to be their ambassadors but noblemen. It ap- Thrones
and
^'^^'^'
peareth that they are called thrones, because they stand
always in the throne* of God ; or else because God is read
ignorare confiteor August. Enchirid. ad Laurent, cap. 58. 0pp. Tom.

III. fol. 37. col. 3. Par. 1532.]
[^Certe ait apostolus, Sive sedes, sive dominationes, sive princi-
patus, sive potestates. Et esse itaque sedes, dominationes, princi-
patus, et potestates in ccelestibus apparatibus firmissime credo, et
diifevre inter se aliquid indubitata fide teneo : sed qusenam ista sint, . . .
et quid inter differant, nescio.

se Nee ea sane ignorantia periclitari
me puto, sicuti inobedientia, si Domini prsecepta neglexero. Id. lib. "
Priscillianistas et Origenistas. 0pp. Tom. vi. fol.

ad Orosium contra
134. col. 1.]
[4 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, at tbe tbrone.]
22
[bULLINGER,
III,]
in the prophets to have made and placed his own seat in
anffcls,and to be carried of them as it were in the coach of

a kins ; as David saith : " He bowed the heavens and came
down, and there was darkness under his feet. lie rode upon
the cherubims," or -was carried upon the cherubims^ "and did
fly : he came flying upon the wings of the wind." more,
Further-
the description of the chariot and throne of God in
Lordships, Ezechiel is Icnown. They seem to be called lordships, prin-
Principal-
ities.
cipahties,and powers, because God executeth his government,
and exerciseth his own power in the world, by the ministry
Powers. of angels. For so also they are called powers and armies,
or the host of heaven : for they encompass the Lord round
as his guard ; and he who is called the God of Sabaoth, or
of hosts, the Lord, I say, of all angels, spirits,and creatures,

whose ministry he useth, when, where, how, and as much
as it pleaseth him, useth them also as his soldiers. St Hie-
rome thinketh they are called cherubims, of their exceeding
Seraphim. knowledge^. Other expound them swift. Seraphims have
their name of ferventness ; or else because they are com-
pared
to pure and clear fire;
most or for that they are
burnino; in the love of God^.

God useth By these in the meanwhile
names are shadowed out the
the ministry
of angels.
manifold officesand divers operations of angels ; which we
being desirous to comprehend in few words, have said that
angels are created of God for the ministry of God himself and
[Psal.civ. men. For "
David
said : "Which maketh his angels spirits,
4.]
and his ministers a flame of fire." And again in another place :
Psal. cUi.
"
O praise the Lord, all ye angels of his ; ye that excel in
strength, ye that fulfilhis commandments, and hearken unto

^
the voice of his words. 0 praise ye the Lord, all ye hosts ;
ye servants of his that do his pleasure." And of angels Paul
[Htb. i. 14.]
also saith: "Are not all ministering spirits,which are sent
out into the ministry for their sakes which shall be heirs of
salvation?" But God useth the ministry of angels upon no
necessity,but of his own good- will. For he might be without
\} ascendit super, Lat. and Vulgate]

[2 Cherubim, quod intorpretatur scienticemidtitudo. " Hieron. Epist.
50. 0pp. Tom. IV. Par, ii, col. 574. Par. 1693-1706.]
[^ of God, not in Lat.]
["'So also cd. 1584: but ed. 1577, all his hosts; vh-tutes ejus,
Lat.l
IX.]
them, since by his own worcP he bringcth to pass what he
will: For he spake, and they were
"
made ; he commanded, fPsai. xxxi
and they were created;" not one of all the angels jointly''
working with him. So at this day also he is able, without the
help of angels, to bring to pass what he will. But because
of his special goodness he created them to the partaking

of everlasting hfe and salvation,he useth their ministry to
US-ward, as ho also doth the service of other creatures, to
whom they declare their faith and obedience to God-ward ;
and God exerciseth his unspeakable good-will both toward
them, whom by grace he hath made partakers of everlasting
joy,and also toward us, whom he hath, vouchsafed to honour
with the service of so excellent a company. For among
other innumerable and the greatest benefits of God, whereat

not without cause we are astonished, this is not to be ac-
counted
the least, that he hath given us angels to be our
servants. Truly this is an exceeding great token of his
fatherly care and regard to usward, firstof all^ because he
frameth himself sweetly to our capacitiesand dispositions.
so
In time past the Lord liimself spake with his own mouth in
mount Sina with the church or congregation of the Israelites;
but when he understood that they had rather he should speak
by their interpreter Moses, he took their wish and offer, and
afterward he spake by Moses, using his ministry toward them. Exod. xix.
Truly God is able to pour most perfitefaith into our minds

by Spirit without any joint
his Holy working of men ; but
because he knew it was profitablefor us that it should so be,
he institutedthe ministry of his word, and planteth the faith
of the apostles by the preaching of the gospel. And that
ordinance once made he doth so precisely observe, that when he

might have done the same by angels, yet by the angels them-
selves
he sendeth them that are to be instructed in the faith
to the apostles. For it is manifest what the angel of the Lord
in the Acts of the Apostles did with Cornelius, whom he send-
eth
'^.
unto the preaching of Peter Therefore, when God secth Actsx.
the ministry of angels convenient for us, then of good-will,
upon no necessity,he useth their ministry toward men. And
doubtless angels love men exceedingly ; and that which they
[^ nutu suo, Lat.; by bis nod.]

[6 imprimis, Lat.]
[7 See Vol. I. pp. 84-8G.]
22 2
do, they do of their own accord, not of constraint or un-

willing
For they cannot but exceedingly love them whom
they see to be so dear to their Creator, that for their sakes
he spared not his only-begotten Son, but for them^ delivered
him into most bitter death : that I make
up no
mention
here of the most ready obedience which they perform to their
God, who willeth and commandcth them to serve him and
Luke XV. men. The Lord in the gospel witnesseth, "that the angels
in heaven at the
conversion and turning of men that be
rejoice
zcch.i.
sinners." In Zachary the angel of the Lord is brought in
very sorrowful for the misery of the captives in Babylon, and

careful for their deliverance from their captivity^. All which
thino;s commend the love and affection of ansrels to-
unto us
ward mankind. For otherwise those blessed spirits are not
moved with aifections,carefulness or sorrow, as we are in the

flesh; but they be glad, and as blessed spirits can
rejoice,
in there is no human
affection: which affections
rejoice,whom
nevertheless are not only attributed to them, but to God himself
tropically or by a figure,and as they say avOpwiroTraOaJ^,
that is, after the affection of man, to the end our minds may
the better understand and more easily conceive spiritualand
heavenly things, as it were by parables. Ilowbeit let us think
that parables do not always contain all things : therefore our
minds must be liftedup to higher things, and spiritualtilings
spirituallybe judged.
must
"What the
The ministry of angels extendeth very far ; which I will
Sge'L'are."'^
declare by rehearsing certain kinds of them as briefly and as
plainly as I can.
First, they do service unto God himself in allthings ; which
I think is sufficientlydeclared in that which went afore. The
same God
they all magnify together with everlasting praises,
worshipping, glorifying,and in him. For Theodoret,
rejoicing
reciting certain testimonies of scriptures concerning this
matter, saith :
"
The ministry or service of angels is the
praising of God, singing of hymns
and or songs. For the
holy prophet Esay saith of the seraphim, that they cried and
said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of Sabaoth ; heaven
'
isai. vi.
and earth are full of his glory.' And of the cherubim the
[1pro omnibus, Lat.]

[2 So also cd. 1584: but ed. 1577, from captivity; ex captivitatc,
Lat.]
IX.] OF GOOD SPIRITS. 341
heavenly prophet Ezechiel saith, that he heard them saying,

'Blessed be the glory of the Lord out of his placed'" The ezcu. iii.
whole host of heaven also singeth a birth-soncj to Christ their

prince, -when he was born, as is to be seen in St Luke, say-
ing
: "Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace, and Luke it.
among men
good-will." anSo they go before with
example
for men to follow, teaching what they also should do, that is,
ofter praise and thanksgiving to God on high, whom the

angels also roA'crence and worship with us.
Moreover the angels love the truth, and are desirous to
have the same spread abroad and the glory of God by all
means furthered ; and therefore they lay blocks in the way of
false prophets, hating them with their accursed doctrine and
antichrist. For St Peter testifieththat the angels desire to i Pet i.
behold the gospel of the Son of God^ In the Revelation of

Jesus Christ made to John the apostle the angel of the Lord
bindeth Satan ;
and the angels, furthering the gospel of
Christ^, set themselves everywhere against false Christians
and false teachers. For even in the end of the world, *' the [Matt.xui.
41 42 1
Son of ]\[an shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather
out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do
iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire." They
themselves stand in the presence of the Almighty God, waiting
his commandment ; who, so soon as he shall command them to
go forth and to execute his commandments, by and by they
make speed. They come therefore unto men to declare the
will and commandments of God. So the angel Gabriel came LuUei.
first to Zachary, the father of John Baptist; afterward he

came to the blessed virgin, to shew unto her the incarnation
of the Son of God. Innumerable examples of this kind are

everywhere found in the holy scriptures.
f3 AeiTOvpyla Se twv dyye\(OV r/ vnvabiw twv 6

2(pa(f)\p.
Trepljiev yap
'Hcralas, on Aytos,
/xaKapios (pT](riv eK"Kpayov Koi fXeyov, ayios, ayios,
Kvpios Saâcb^' Trkrjprjs6 ovpavos Koi ^ yrjttjs 86^rjs
ai/Tov. Ilepi Se Tajf
Xfpov^\p.6 6elos elrrev'Eê/ct^X,

cos i]KOV(Te Xeyovrav, 'EvXoyrjfj.evr]
77 86â
KvpLov SK
Toi) roTTov "
Theodoret. Hferet. Fab. Lib. v. cap. 7.
avTjis.
p. 267. Tom. v. Lut. Par. 1642-84.]
[4Nam S. Petrus commemorat evangelium Filii Dei admodum
jucundum gi-atumque spectaculum esse angelis, Lat. For St Peter tes-

tifies
that the gospel of the Son of God is a most pleasant and grateful
spectacle to arigels.]
[^ veritatem Christianam, Lat.]
They watch for

safety, l3eing careful for us, yet
our
"without molestation ; whereof I told you before. They vertise

ad-
the faithfulin time convenient, foreshewinjj dangers to
Matt. ii. come ; and they also do comfort the afflicted.For the wise
men, being warned by the angel that they should not return
unto Hierusalcm to Herod, avoid great peril. Joseph also
being commanded by the angel fliethinto Egypt, delivering
the Christ or anointed of the Lord ^ out of the bloody hands
[liUkexxii. of Herod. Christ also at the mount of Olivet, being: in a

43,44.]
Gen. xvi.
bloody sweat, is comforted by the angel. And Hagar, the
handmaid of Sara, being in extreme danger, is recreated by
the consolation of an angel. As also the apostle St Paul,
being very near shipwreck, heareth this voice of the angel of
the Lord : "Fear not, Paul ; thou must be brought before Ca3-
sar : and, lo,God
hath given thee allthem that sailwith thee."
Again, angels are sent for revengement of mischievous
persons ; to take punishment, I mean, of those that be wicked
Exod. xii. and impenitent. For the first-born of the Egyptians are
Acts xii. smitten of the angel. In the Acts of the Apostles the angel
2 Kings xix. of the Lord smiteth Herod Agrippa. It is said that in the
of the Assyrians many were

camp smitten and slain of one
[2 Sam. angel. And David saw an angel with a sword drawn hover-
xxiv. IC, 17.]
ing between heaven and earth, afflictingthe people with a
most grievous plague. So we believe that the holy angels
shall come with the Son of man unto judgment, as Paul

wit-
2 Thess. i. nesseth, and saith : "Our Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed
from heaven, with the angels of his power, in flaming fire,
rendering vengeance unto them that know not God, and that
obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." For in the
Kev. xvi
Revelation of Jesus Christ also the angels pour out vials full
of the wrath of God upon the heads of false Christians".
Moreover, they take upon them the charge and defence
of us, God so commanding : they are our keepers, ready at

hand watching over adversity happen unto us, and
us that no
do guide our ways : for hitherto belong the testimonies of

the Psalms, and very many examples of the scripture. David
cried,and the Lord heard
Psal. xxxiv.
saith : "This poor (or man
afflicted)
him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of
the Lord pitcheth his tents round about them that fear him,
and delivereth them." And in another psalm he saith :
{} Christum Dominum, Lat.] p antichristianorum, Lat.]

IX.]
"There shall no evil come unto thee, neither shall any plague Psai. xci.
come near thy tabernacle (ordwelling). For he shall give his
angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They
shall bear thee in their hands, that thou hurt not thy foot
against a stone. Thou shalt go (or
walk)upon the lion and
adder (orasp) ; the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread
under thy feet." And the Lord in the gospel plainly saith,
that littlechildren have angels without doubt to be their Matt. xvin.
keepers. Jacob the patriarch, greatly fearing his brother c.en.xxxii.
Esau, seeth angels coming to meet him ; and
understandeth
that angels were given unto him as guides and keepers of
him in his way against the fierceness of his brother. In the 2 Kings vi.
affairs of Ilehseus we read, that the king of Syria besieged

the city Dothan with great host, wherein Heliseus at that
a
time led his life,whom he had purposed to take. When the

servant of Heliseus perceived that, and was troubled in mind,
and lamented his master's case, Heliseus said, "Fear not ; for
they that be with us are more than they that be with them."
The prophet also prayed and said, "Lord, I beseech thee, open
his* eyes^, that he may sec. And the Lord opened the eyes of "servanfs.
the servant, and he looked, and behold, the mountain was full
of horses and fiery chariots;" that is to say, he was armed
and defended with the guard of an host of angels. Abraham
also saith to his servant: "The Lord God of heaven, which [Oen. xxiv.
'''
said unto me. Unto thy seed will I give this land, he shall
send his angel before thee," namely, to direct thy way, to
defend thee, and bring to pass that thou mayest obtain thy
desire. For the Lord himself said to Moses in Exodus :
"
Behold, I will send my angel before thee, to keep thee in [Exocl xxiii.
the way, and to lead thee to the place that I have prepared."
In the Acts of the Apostles thou dost often read that angels
served the apostles, furthered their purpose, and defended

them against their adversaries.
In Daniel angels are brought in for princes, and presi- Dan. x.
dents or governors, of kingdoms : as Michael with Gabriel,
princes of the Israelitish kingdom ; another of the Persian

kingdom ; another of the Grecian kingdom ; and each of them
debate the matter touching his own kingdom, and fight for
the same. Not that there is any variance or disagreement
in heaven, v^here doubtless there is plentiful peace, everlast-
[3 oculos pueri, Lat.]

ing concord and quietness ; neither that there are conflictsor

battles fought between the angels, as between those gods
whom the poet Homer describeth ; but by a parable and
allusion heaven is compared to the court of some puissant and
renowned prince, where ambassadors of sundry countries
debate their divers causes which is done:in consideration of
our weak wit and slender capacity. For thus we ought to
conceive in our mind ; that God, who is the only Lord of all
kingdoms, heareth all men's suits, and taketh in hand all
men''s and that angels, at the word^ and will of God,
matters ;
minister and do service unto God, when it pleaseth him to use

Dan. iv. their ministry and service. For so Nabuchodonosor also saw
in a
vision a watchman coming down from heaven, and fore-
telling
the destiny of the tree that was to be hewn down.
We must not
Nevertheless we must here take heed lest,contrary to the
much"unt'o" naturo of true religion,we attribute too much to angels ; that

^"^^ ""
we worship them not ; that we call not upon them, nor serve
them. Indeed, when men hear that angels are given unto them
of God for ministers, and that God by them doth good unto
us, by and by they think that some honour^ is to be ascribed
and given unto them. But sincere religion doth teach us to
acknowledge God the author of all good things ; that the
angels are the ministers of God, and as it were instruments

by whom he worketh, as we see the sun, the moon, and the
stars, the patriarchs, the prophets, and the apostles, to be
and to have been. But who being well in his wits hath wor-
shipped,
called upon, or served, the sun or the stars, though
they be very excellent and
creatures beneficial unto men ?
And what partaker, I pray you, of true faith and belief hath
worshipped, called upon, or served the patriarchs, the pro-
phets,
and the apostles, though they were endued with most
precious gifts,and wonderful in working of miracles ? We do
all worship, call upon, and serve God ; and we confess that
Saints will God workoth by his saints; who together with the holy
shippedofus. angcls of God require nothing less than to be worshipped,
called upon, and served of us. For truly said Lactantius, lib.
Institut. II.
cap. 16: "Angels, since they be immortal, neither
sufifernor yet are willing to be called gods : whose only
officeit is alone to attend upon God with their service, to be
at his beck, and to do nothing at all but at his commandment.
\} pro nutu, Lat,] \} nihil non honoris, Lat.]
I'
'
IX.]
^
For say that God

we so governeth the world, as a king \y
ruleth his kingdom ; whose officersno man will say are fellows
with him in ruling his kingdom, albeit affairsbe dispatched
by their ministry and service-'." And therefore we read that
St Augustine also said: "When the angels of God hear, he
himself heareth in them, as in his true temple, not made with
hands'*." Verily, if we look more narrowly into and weigh
the holy scripture, Ave shall find not in one or two places
that the name of God and angels are set down without dif-
ference.
For angels are causes further off,and instrumental,
as they term them ; but God is the nearest and most prin-
cipal
cause. For in the Acts
of the Apostles we read that Acts vii.
Stephen said, '''And when forty years were expired, there

appeared unto him in the wilderness of mount Sinai an angel:"
and by and by he addeth, "And the voice of the Lord came
unto him saying, I am the God of thy father," "c. He calieth
the selfsame Lord, whom a little before he had called an
angel : to wit, because he believed that an angel both saith

and doth all things at God's commandment ; that the word
and the work is proper to God, and the angels are as instru-
ments.
Likewise in the book of Judges, cap. vi. he is called
Lord, which even now was called an angel. Hagar, the hand- oen. xvi.
maid of Sara, received a great benefit in the desert by the

angel of the Lord ; yet she accounteth not the same received
of the angel, but of the Lord : she giveth not thanks to the
angel, neither doth she consecrate the memory thereof to the
angel ; much less doth
she worship and call upon the angel ;
nay rather she referreth her speech also unto God. For so
the holy scripture witnesseth : "And she called the name of
the Lord which spake unto her. Thou God lookest on me,"
"c. The children of Israel, before whom the angel of the
Lord went in the wilderness, never offered sacrificeto their
guide or captain, never
worshipped or served him. Even so
[3 Neque angeli, cum sint immortales, dici se deos

patiuntur aut
aut volunt : quorum unum solumque officium est servire nutibus Dei ;
nee omnino quicquam nisi jussu facere. Sic enim mundum regi a
Deo dicimus, ut a rectore provinciam : cujusapparitores nemo socios
esse in regenda provincia dixerit, quamvis illorum ministerio res ge-
Lactant. Instit. Lib. ll. cap.
ratur. "
16.]
[^ Nam et cum exaudiunt angeli ejus,ipse (Deus) in eis exaudit,
tamquam in vero nee
manufacto templo suo. " Augustin. de Civit. Dei.
Lib, X. cap. 12. 0pp. Tom. v. Par.
1532.]
the servant of Abraham, being committed to the angel, dotli

not make supplication unto him, desiring hira well to pros-
per
his purpose; prayeth unto God, and requireth
but he
of him to shew and give trial of his mercy toward his master
Abraham. In Daniel the angel of the Lord appear eth
[Dan. iii.] Walking among Daniel's fellows which were cast into the
burning oven ; but when they were delivered from the vio-
lence
of the flame, they do not praise the angel, neither ac-
count
the benefit of their delivery received of him, but of
God only: for they sing, "Blessed art thou, O Lord God
of our fathers ; right worthy to be praised and honoured in
that name of thine for evermore K" So in like manner Paul
in express words confesseth that it is God whose he is,and
whom he worshippeth ; though in the meanwhile he had
made mention also of an angel : for so he saith in the Acts,

Actsxxvii. "There stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I
am, and whom I serve," that is to say, God. For in another
place John being willing to worship at the angeFs feet, the

Bev. xxii, angel crieth,"See thou do it not; for I am thy fellow-servant,
and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep
the words of this book." These plain and manifest testimonies
of holy scripture evidently teach us, that although God use
the ministry of angels toward us, yet that they are to be
acknowledged and confessed of us to be ministers of God
and therefore not to be worshipped or
fellow-servants, and
called upon ; but that God only must be worshipped, called

upon, and served.
From this holy doctrine of scripture certain ministers
and ecclesiasticalwriters of the ancient church have nothing
swerved. For Lactantius in that book which we cited a little
before saith : "Angels will have no honour given unto them,
whose honour is in God. But they which revolted and fell

from the ministry of God, because they are enemies of the
truth and offenders, they go about to challenge to themselves
2."
the name of God and the worship of gods And now St
[1 Song of the three lioly children, 3 Dan. iii.2(5, (Apocryphal,)
Vulgate.]
[2Nullum sibi honorcm tribui volunt (angeli),
quorum omnis honor
in Deo est. Illi autem, qui desciverunt a Dei
ministerio, quia sunt
vcritatis inimici et praivaricatores Dei, nomen sibi et cultum deorum
vendicare conantur. Lactant.

" Instit. Lib. 11. cap. 16.]
OF GOOD SPIUITS. 347
IX,]
Augustine, being of tlic same judgmentin this matter, hath
thus leftwritten ; "Whom might I find" (nowhe speaketh unto
God) "to reconcile mo unto tlicc? What, should I go unto
angels ? With prayer, with what vows
what ? j\Iany en-
deavouring
to return unto thee, and not being able of them-
selves,
I
have assayed (as hear)these ways, and have fallen
into a desire and longing after curious visions, and are
counted worthy to be deceived ^" These things are extant,

Lib. X. Confess, cap. 42. After which he sheweth at large,
that Jesus Christ is the only jMediator and Intercessor for all
the faithful.The same Auo-ustine,in his tenth book de Civitate
Dei, cap. 16, declareth in many words, that the good angels
In
of God require sacrificesnot for themselves but for God^
his last chapter of his book de Vera Rellgione, he saith:
"Let believe that the best angels will that God be served
us
with the best and most excellent ministry ; that together with
them we should worship one God, in the contemplation and
beholding of whom they are blessed. For we are not blessed The wor-
"
1 111 "! Ill shipping of
bv the ano-els,
secmir o but by seemff whereby we
'
the truth; d
angcis greatly
O
"J e/ p _ condemned.
also love the very angels, and rejoice together with them.
Wherefore we honour them for love, not of duty. Neither
do build temples unto them ; for they are unwilling in
we
know that we
such sort to be honoured of us ; because they
ourselves, if we be good, are the temples of the most high
God. It is well written therefore that an angel forbad a man
to worship him, but willed him to worship one only God,
he also was a fellow-servant with him^" The
under whom
[3 Quem invenirem qui mo reconciliaret tibi? Ambiendum (Bul-

linger read. An fuit ad angelos ? Qua prece ? quibus
eundum) mihi
sacramentis ? Multi conantes ad te redire, neque per seipsos valentes,
sicut audio, tentaverunt

ha^c, et inciderunt in desiderium curiosarum
August. Confess. Lib. x.
visionum, et digni habiti sunt illusionibus.
"
cap. 67. (alii 42).]

[4 per sacriflcium non
. . . sibi, sed ei (Deo)nos subdere volunt
fol. 123. col. 3, 4.]
(angeliboni)."Id. 0pp. Tom. v.
Dei
[5Hoc etiam ipsos optimos angelos et excellentissima minis-
ipsis colamus Deum,
teria velle credamus, ut unum cum
cujuscon-
templatione beati sunt. Neque enim et nos videndo angelos beati
ipsos diligimus angelos, et
suraus, sed videndo veritatem, qua ctiam
bis congratulamur Quare honoramus
. , .
eos caritate, non servitute ;
se sic bonorari a nobis, quia
nee eis templa construimus ; nolunt enim
nos ipsos, cum boni sumus, templa summi Dei esse noverunt. Kecte
same Augustine therefore in his catalogue of heretics reckon-

eth worshippers of angels among heretics, naming them an-
gelici, angel-worshippers\ For in his disputation against
Maximinus, bishop of the Arians, Lib. i. proving the Holy Ghost
to be God, he manifestly callcth worshippers of angels sacri-
legious
persons, and cursed of Christ and his church. The
Mark what "words of thc author, if any require, are these: "If we should
of the"empie make a temple (saith he)of wood and stone to the holy angel,
M"ichaei in that is most excellcnt,should we not be cursed of the truth of
ganusi. Christ, and of the church of God? because we do that service
to a which only is due to one God. If therefore by
creature,
building a temple to any kind of creature we should rob
God of his honour, how is not he the true God to whom we
build not a temple, but we ourselves are his temple^?" Thus

saith he.
Of evil spirits.
Thcso I hitherto spoken in brevity of the
thiugs have
holy or good angels of God : now I pass over to discourse of
evil spirits,of wicked angels I mean and revolting,that is to

say, of evil spirits,or devils. Hereof I will brieflyand plainly
speak that which the holy scripturesminister unto me.
That there That thoro are devils the Sadducees in times past denied,
and at this day also some scarce religious,nay rather epicures,

deny the same'* : who, unless they repent, shall one day feel,
to their exceeding great pain and smart, both that there are
devils, and that they are tormentors and executioners of all
men and epicures. For the whole scripture and all
wicked
itaque scribitur liorainem ab angelo prohibitum, ne se adorarot, sed
uuum Deum, sub quo ei esset et ille conservus. Id. de Vera Relig. "
cap. 65. Tom. i. fol. 156. col. 2.]
[1 Angelici, in angelorum cultu inclinati, quos Epiphanius jam

omnino defecisse testatur. " Id. de Hajres. cap. 39. 0pp. Tom. vi. fol.4.
col. 3.]
[2 This highly- venerated church, dug out of the solid rock, is in a
cave of ]\Iount St Angelo, the ancient Mons Garganus. Cramer's
Italy, Vol. 11. p. 277.]
[3Nonne, si templum angelo excellentissimo de lignis
alicui sancto
et lapidibus faceremus, anathematizaremur a veritate Christi et ab
ecclesia Dei ? quoniam creaturaj exhiberemus earn sei-ritutem qua; uni

tantum debetur Deo. Si ergo sacrilegi essemus faciendo templum
cuicunquo creaturaj ; quomodo non est Deus verus, cui non templum
facimus, sed nos ipsi templum sumus?
"
August, contra Maxim. Lib. I.
0pp. Tom. VI. fol. 142. col. 1.]

[^ See above, p. 330, note 3.]
OF EVIL SPIRITS. 349
IX,]
godly and wise men, as many as have lived from the begin-
ning
of the world even unto this day, have confessed that
there are evil spiritsor devils.
Now what thing devils arc, it is
less hard and doubt-
no what the
devil is*
ful exactly to define by reason, than I said it was difficultto
describe fully the nature of angels : howbeit I will shadow
them out by one or other kind of description, to the end
I may entreat of them
certain order. in
Evil angels are a
corrupt and wicked spirits,and, for their revolting or falling

away, everlastingly condemned : subject indeed they are to
God, but yet nevertheless adversaries to God and men, for
that they turn all their travails and studies to the contempt
and despising of God, and to the deceiving and destruction
men.
of
First, that the devil is a creature, hereby it is manifest : '
That the
"' devil is a
because there is but one creator only, to wit, that God in feature.
Trinity and Unity. He created all spirits: but the devil

also falleth in the reckoning of spirits. We said before^ that
the time of their creation is not set down in the scripture,
when as we shewed that it was nowhere expressed at what
time, whether before man or after man, angels were created.
Hereunto do
add, that evilangels became evil,not by ihedeviiwas
we now
creation, but by their own revolting and falling away. For "A'"^^'^
all things which God created were and are exceeding good :
all angels therefore, as men
naturally in like manner, were
created good. But they continued not stedfast in this good- ofthefaii
" of ancGls
ness
granted, given, and grafFed in them of God ; but they f^m heaven,
being corrupt with their own malice, as men also are, fell,and
were by the most justGod thrown out of heaven, as out of
the felicityor happiness which was given them. Now when
or at what time this was done, the scripture doth not again
express : howbeit it seemeth to have been done before the

fall of for the devil by the serpent egged our
man ; parents
to sin, and drew them into misery and death. Neither doth
the same scripture peculiarly define what manner of sin the
devil'swas neither doth it expressly and particularly shew
:
the manner how they were cast out of heaven. It saith gene-
rally,
that there was folly or wickedness found in the angels,
and that therefore they were thrown down headlong into hell.
For we read in the book of Job : Behold, he found no truth [jobiv. la]
"
[^ See above, page 329.]

in his
servantsând in his angels there was folly" (or^Yicked-
2Pet.ii. St Peter, nothing disagreeing from this, said, that
ness).
Godspared not the angels which sinned, but cast them down
"
into hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be

kept unto judgment."But Judas also,the brother of James,
the apostle of the Lord, surnamed Thaddeus, rehearsing the
same sentence in a manner, said :
"
The angels which kept not
their first estate (to wit, the nature wherein they were
but left their own habitation, (to wit, their
created), road^
their office,and their faith,)
the Lord hath reserved in ever-
lasting
^
chains unto darkness unto the judgmentof the great
day." What, doth not our
Saviour Christ speak- Lord and
[johnviii.] ing of the devil say thus, "lie was a
murderer from the
beginning, and abode not in the truth?" For hereupon we
may gather, that the devil sometime abode or was in the

truth, but shrunk and forsook it by faithlessfallingaway.
Those
testimonies, which witness that an angel sinned by
revolting,and was thrown down headlong into hell, are suf-ficient
for godly minds and such as are not curious. Further-
isai. xiv. more, out of Esay^ and EzechieP there are recited of others
testimonies making for the same matter : which as we
xxvii'i.
reject
not, so doubt not but that by an allegory they are applied
we
unto these of ours. That which is alleged out of Luke, '"' I

saw Satan as it had been lightning fallingdown from heaven,"
is not so
properly expounded of the firstfall of angels : for
there is another fallof the devil, to wit, whereby he fellfrom
his own tyranny (whereby he had possessed the minds of
men, ensnared them with wickedness and sin)through
and
the coming of Christ into the world, and through the sincere
preaching of the gospel. Now there is no doubt that all
angels were created good, and that the evil fellthrough their
[1 Ecce qui serviunt ei non sunt stabiles,Lat. and Vulgate. He

hath found unfaithfulness among his own servants, Coverdale, 1535.]
[2 stationem, Lat.]
[3 So all the editions; but the Lat. sub caligine.]
[4 Quod de Satana cxposuerunt hunc locum, id ignorantia factum
est. Calv. "
Scimus Satanam cecidisse : verum Luciferum in scripturis
alicubi vocatum non reperimus. Musculus, apud Maldonat. Expos.

Ecclcs. in Isai. xiv. 12.]
[5 Qui allegorias sectantur, pei' Principem Tyri Luciferum intelli-
gunt . . .
freti dicto Domini, Videbam Satanam de ca?lo cadentem sicut
fulgur. "
CEcolampad. Comment, in Ezech. fol. 173. Argentor. 1534.]
IX.J OF EVIL SPIRITS. 351
own, and not through God's fault and folly ; whereof I spake
somewhat also in the tenth sermon of the third decade, whore
I entreated of the beginning of sin''.To which I will now
add
the most notable and evident declaration of Theodoret, bishop
of Cyrus, taken out of the secrets of the scriptures; who in his

Epitome Divin. Decret. saith : " Let us consider whether the
devils justly suffer punishment, since they received of him
that made them a nature hke his. And how canhe which is
good be called the creator of wickedness ? And how is he

righteous and just,that punisheth the nature which can do
nothing that good is, but is tied and bound with fetters of
wickedness and vice? But we know that the God of all
things, and the fountain of justiceand righteousness, is right-
eous
and just. Therefore he will not punish the devils un-
justly.
And we know that God was their guide and captain,
and that the good angels are his workmanship, and that he
is called good of all such as are rightly He there-
fore
minded.
made not the nature which could do nothing that is good,
travailing and bringing forth wickedness only, and doing
things contrary to his willând mind. If God therefore did
neither make the evil nature, (forhe is the maker and worker
of all good things, as he himself is then doth he not so good,)
much as once think to punish for he is justand the
:
unjustly
lawgiver of justice
or
righteousness, and he will punish the
devil and such also as serve
and are under him. Therefore
the devil of his own will and accord is evil, and they that take
his part. For as God made man good in the beginning, and
with free will of mind, these doubtless, to wit, good angels,
kept their nature which they received pure and
uncorrupt :
but those (towit, fell into
men) declined and the worse, and
. corrupted their heavenly shapes, and they that were like unto
God made themselves brutish : so also the devil and rout of
devils,which were
with other bodiless creatures, did not follow
the good will of them toward the Lord God ; but being puffed
up with the disease of haughtiness and pride, betook them-selves

unto that which was the worse, and fell from their
former state and condition^." Thus far he. With Theodoret
[c See Vol. ii. p. 366.]

[' Oti
Ko\aa-0r](TOVTai(ot8aifj.ovei),
fxiv ovv
e"i8d;^^7jUfi'.
2ko-
cracpSs
8e
TTjycrco/xei/ XoL7rui",el diKoioistovto ire'icrovTai, roiavrrjp irapa roi)
(f)vcn.v
Trenoii]KOTOS 8eâ[j.ivoi,
Hois S' av
aya6os eluorcos KXrjdeu] TtjsKaKias
6
doth St Augustine agree in his book entitled de Vera Rel.

cap. xiii.saying : The devil,inasmuch as he is an angel, is
"
not evil ; but inasmuch as he is perverse and wicked of his
will : for, setting more by himself than by God, he would not

be in
subjection unto him, but, swelling through pride, he fell
from his chief essence and excellent being ^" And again, in
his treatise upon Job, xlii.
:
"
Dost thou demand from whence
the devil is? From whence also the other angels are : but the
other angels constantly continued in their obedience ; he by
disobedience and pride fellfrom an angel and became a devil^.""
The devil is
Now that which I affirmed touching those wicked spirits,
fov thcir revolting and falling away are to
condemnel^
who adjudged
damnation, I see it denied of some, who promise to con-
demned
spirits redemption from their punishments a little
before the judgment-day.But against these very many
doctors of the church have disputed, all and every one of
them condemning with one voice an opinion which the scrip-
8e Sixaios o tiBpacat fii] bvvafxevqv,

; TTcSy
iroiTjTi^s (f)vaiv
KoXa^covayadov
Tois rffs KUKias
TreirfSrjfiftnjv ; kXXa
Secr/xots dUaiov 'la-jxevrbv rav
oKka
BiKaioavvrjs TTtjyqv ovkovv ddiKcos daifiovasKai
oXcov Qeov, Koi KoXacrei tovs
Tov Kai ayaQav iTncrrayLfOa ^rjîovpyov rbv dyadov

eKeivrnv rjyovfxevov.
Qeov tmv ev cmavTuiv Ovkovv edripiovp-
napa (Ppovovprmv ovopaôpevov.
yrjCTf(bvaiv Bpacrai pev ovdev ayaQov Bvvapevrjv, KaKiav Se p6vT]u napa yvcoprjv
Ei Se Tvovqpav ihripiovpyqa-ev6 Oeos, {dyadcov yap
abivovaav. p^re (pvaiv
iaTLv as ayados ddiKios dve)(iTai, { b'lKaios
yap eari
ttoitjttjs,)
p^re Ko\dêiu
8tKaio(Tvvr]s 8e tov 8idô\ov tovs inr e'/ceiVw
Ka\ vopoderTjs,)KoXaêi Ka\
6 didjioXosKoi ol
Tikovvras' yvmpr) apa TTOvqpos ttjsfKeivov crvppopias.
dyaOov dyadbs ibrfpiovpyqcrev 6 Qeos,
aarrep yap tov livdpcoTTOV e^ ^pX^^
avdaipeTco
Se yvdprj ol pev e(f)vXaâv aKrjpaTOV rjv eXalôv(pvcriv, ol Se eVi
to dTi"Kkivov,KOI TOVS Belovs hu(^6eipov^ Koi Toiisdeoeibus
)("lpov xapa^r^pas
6r]pi(odeis ovtoos 6 didôXos Koi twv daipovuiv to
criiv
aTTfCprjvav "jTl"pos,
dacopaTois yevopevot, ttjV pev tov 8e(Tn6TT]v Qeov
Tols aWois eKelvav Trepl
ovK evvoiav, to Se tov
Koi ttjsaXaôveias
e^^Xaxrav Tv(f)ov eicrSeô/xei'o
to Xijêcos.
TTpOTspas fênfcrov
;(d/30i/eTpaTrrjcrav,Ka\ Tijs Theo-
rrddos, eVi
doret. Ilseret. Fab. Lib. v. cap. 8. p. 269. Tom. iv. Lut. Par. 1G42.J
[1 Ipse in
(diabolus) angelus quantum sed in est, non est malus,
quantum perrersus propria voluntate lUe autera angelus magis se- . . .
ipsum quam Deum diligendo subditus ei esse noluit, et intumuit per
superbiam, et a summa essentia defecit et lapsus est. August, do Vera "
Relig. cap. 13. 0pp. Tom. i. fol. 149. col. 3. Par. 1532.]
[^ Quajritisautem ipse diabolus ? Inde utique unde

fortasse, unde
et ceteri angeli: sed et ceteri angeli in sua obedientia perstiterunt;

ille inobediendo et supcrbiendo lapsus est angelus, et factus est dia-
bolus.
Id. Expos, in Evang. Joan. Tract. 42. 0pp. Tom.
"
ix.]
IX.]
tures long ago condemned. For the judgein
the end of the
"world, pronouncing definitivesentence against Satan and all
the wicked, shallsay :
"
Depart from me, ye cursed, into ever- Matt. xw.
lasting fire,which is prepared for the devil and his angels."

And by and by the apostle and holy evangelist,a witness of
the truth, doth add : And these shall go into everlasting
"
punishment, but the righteous into lifeeverlasting." For in

Mark the Lord also said : " In hell their worm dieth not, Mark ix.
and the fire is not quenched." And in John in more plain

and pithy words he saith : They that have
"
done good shall johnv.
come forth unto the resurrection of life, and they that have
done evil unto the resurrection of condemnation." He doth not
say, they shall go either into life or into condemnation, but
into the resurrection either of life or condemnation, that is,
to remain everlastinglyin lifeor death. For Daniel, of whom
the Lord these words, hath said : " And many of
borrowed Dan. xii.
them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake ; some to
everlastinglife,and some to shame and perpetual contempt."

For John the apostle saith, that the smoke of those that are Rev. xiv.
condemned and thrown headlong into hell for

shall evermore
ascend up. It is certain therefore, that the condemnation of

the wicked shall be altogether without end and everlasting.
Furthermore, in calling the revolting angels spirits,we Deviis arc-
do not understand by spiritthe wicked affectionof the heart, substances.

or the quality or passion of the mind, or corruption and sin.
For the world is not without some which think the devil is
nothing else but a mischievous man, or a mischievous and sinful
commotion or
outrage of the mind^. By spiritstherefore we
understand spiritualsubstances, endued with feeling and understanding.

For in the firstchapter of Job Satan came and Job i.
shewed himself among the children (orservants) of God, speak-
ing
with the Lord. The gospel also reporteth unto us, that devils,
being cast out of a man, entered into the herd of swine, and Matt. viii.
drowned them in the depth of the sea or lake of Gaderen^.

Moreover the gospel recordeth, that the devil sinned from John viii.
the beginning, that he continued not in the truth, that he is a

liar and a murderer. "^
Judas maketh mention that the angeU-^"''^"
fought with the devil. In Mark the devils cry out, and say :
*'
What have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art Marki.
[3 See above, p. 330, note 3.]

[4 See Bulling. Comment, in Mattli. Lib. iv. fol. 88. Tigur. 1542.]
23
[bULLINGER,
III.]
thou come to destroy us?" But yet for all that our Saviour,
Matt. XXV.
being already appointed and made judge,shall say to the
devils : " Go into the everlasting fire." All which testimonies
agree to substances by themselves subsisting, and not to

qualities. Devils therefore are spiritualsubstances. But what
What bodies they be which they oftentimes take, and in which they
bodies they appear
^^ unto men, no man I think can perfectly tell: which also
be which the -i
t i , ,. i /. i i t
devils take, ê little before, when
told you a we entreated of the bodies
which good angels took. For truly that devils put on bodies
and shapes differingfrom their own, the history of Samuel raised
up by witch manifestly proveth. It was not Samuel that was

1 Sam. a
raised from the dead, but the captain-coiner of lies,counter-

feiting
Samuel, deceived king Saul ^ And Paul witnesseth that
2 Cor. xi. Satan doth transform himself into an ano;el of light. Histories
also declare, that the devil is a marvellous deceiver,
juggling
in taking on him divers forms and shapes.
The devil is Aud
I said of good angels, that they are speedy in
as
^'^'^ their ministery, without burden or lets; so there is no doubt

mhht'
that devils in their kind and work well prepared. For are
the scriptures declare, that they have a thousand shifts,
wonderful craftiness and subtilty,and that their knowledge

is passing quick and reacheth very far ; finally,that they
are
very ready and never weary to attempt and perform all
things. They pass through the whole world with exceeding
swiftness,they handle all their matters very craftily; and
therefore are marvellous names shadowing out their force and
[Rev. xii. 9. power allotted unto them. For he is called " Satan the old
John xiv. 30. -^
, . .
/. ,
2
Eî^.u. serpent, deceiver, the
prince of this world, the prince of
a
darkness, which hath power over the air, a roaring lion."

Of which and of other not unlike I will speak anon more at
^^^S^" when I have first told you this,that there are an
TOut'ofdlwis
Mark xvi. infiniterout of devils. For seven devils are cast out of Mary
Matt. xii. Magdalen. That devil of whom
^Nfatthew speaketh, being no
sooner cast out, museth and consulteth how he may be wholly
restored again, taking to him seven other spirits worse than
Markv. liimsclf. Morcovcr, in Mark's gospel there is mention made
of a legion : for the unclean spirit,being asked of the Lord

what his name was, answered,
"
My name is legion, because
we areTherefore, when there is mention made
many." of
Satan elsewhere in holy scripture, it is not so to be taken, as
[^ Fulke's Defence of Translat. "c. cd. Parker Soc. p. 313.]

IX.]
though there were either but one substance or person of tho
devil ; for they are comprehended as the members under the
head, and as particularitiesunder generalities. The scripture
truly elsewhere maketh mention of the prince of the devils ;
for the enemies of Christ do often cry out : He casteth out Mark
"
lu.
devils by the prince of devils." But yet that saying doth not
express what manner of principality that is, and whether
orderly among themselves those evil spiritsbe distinguished.
And it is certain that all the ungodly are under one head, as
all the godly are under one Christ the Lord. It is certain
that all the devils are of the selfsame corrupt will, bending
all their force only to this end, to be adversaries to God
and hurtful enemies to men. But of the operations, works,
or effects of devils I will speak where I shall by the way
expound^ their names or attributes.
Corrupt and wicked spirits generally are called devils,

which is as much as if you should say
slanderers or false ac-
cusers.
For Sial3o\t]
with the Greeks signifiethslander, "c. ;
and the word devil is fetched from the Grecians^. For he uevii.
soweth slanders in accusing men unto God, and in setting men
at variance between themselves : that now I say nothing how
he goeth about to bring God and his works into suspicion
among men. Therefore he is elsewhere called a liar, and a iiar.
the author of lies, and the father of all hypocrites ; and

therefore the spring of all errors, heresies, and wickednesses.
because Judas was an hypocrite, a liar,a false accuser,
x\nd
and traitor, the Lord rightly gave him the name of a devil. Johnvi.
Theapostle Peter called the devil an adversary. For satan or an

the Lord also himself called him, "The envious man*,"
' l/*"'-^:..
which Matt. '
xiii.
,
sowed tares in the Lord s field. For he is the enemy of

God and setting himself against the will of God, whose
men,
glory also he laboureth to take away, and hindereth the sal-

vation
of men, and soweth infiniteoffences in the Church of
God. And truly the Hebrews call him Satan, whom we call Matt. iv.
an adversary. That word is translated unto men. For in

that Peter set himself against the counsel and purpose of
God, he heareth this voice of the Lord : " Get thee behind [Matt xvi.
me, Satan." And David also said to his nephew^

^
Abisai, [2'sam. xix.
22.]
[2 Rather, -when I shall have expounded.]

[3 See Vol. II. p. 118, note 1.] [*inimicum hominem, Lat.j
[5ad nepotem ex sorore, Lat.: 1 Clu-on. ii.IG.]
23"2
the of Zeruia :
son
"
What have I to do with you, ye sons
of Zeruia, that this day ye should be adversariesunto me ?"
For Abisai gainsayed the counsel and decree of David.
The devil is called daemon, to wit, knowing, crafty,and
cunning in many things,a-rro rod la'iw, I know.
which signifies,
For Plato truly in Cratijlo,according to the opinion of He-
siodus,doth think that devils, whom we commonly call by
this word dromons, are calledand as itwere named Satjjuovas,
that is,wise, prudent, and knowing'. Hereunto the word
serpent must be referred. " The serpent," saith the scrip-
ture,
"
was subtilerthan all the beasts of the field." fore
There-
did the devil choose the serpent to be his dwelling-place,
by whom he might put his guilefuldevises in practice and
A serpent deceive our firstparents. For he is called the deceiver,the
and Jragon.
beguiler, and seducer of the world, the old serpent and
dragon. For what seducing soever there is in the world,
what wicked devices and deceitfulpractices, they flow from
this one fountain of allhis mischief. In profane writers this
word is used in a far contrcarysignification.For Socrates in
Plato saith: "I affirm that every man is dsemon, that is to
say, wise, whosoever is good, and that he is dcemoniacus, that
is to say, wise and happy, both aliveand dead^." Wherefore
it is athing very much and often used of Homer to adorn
noble personages with this name^. But in the history of the
gospel dcemoniaci are such as are possessed with a devil.
Paul, in his firstEpistle to Timothy, reduceth and draweth
the whole body of deceits and doctrines coloured with a
shew of false wisdom unto this head.
1 Pet. V. St Peter saith: "Be
sober and watch, for your adversary
A roaring
liun. the devil,as a roaring lion,walketh about, seeking whom he
may devour ; whom resiststedfastlyin faith." By the lion
he shadoweth out unto us the nature or dispositionof the
devil; for the devil hath exceeding great strength, he is
fullof greedy raveny and most cruel fierceness: whereupon
A murderer, he is also called of some a cruel beast. The Lord calleth
[.folin
\iii.
44.] him murderer : for he inspiredinto Cain and all manslayers
a
horrible murders ; and at this day also he soundeth the alarum

to all wars, to all broiling battles,to all slaughters and se-
['Plat. Cratyl. p. 226. Vol. iv. ed. Bekker. Lond. 1826.]

[2Plat. Cratyl. ubi supr.] ^
[3Horn. II. a. 222. 561. X'. 480, "c.]
IX.]
ditions; to be short, he kindleth wrath, he sowcth hatred,
and nourisheth envy. lie is named " a tempter ; for he is a "
tempter.
always egging men to mischief, sparing nothing whatsoever

he thinketh can entice and draw us to things most wicked.
In the history of the gospel, and in the writings of the "Xan""'^
"
apostles, the devil hath well-nigh* the name of an unclean,

^'''"'*
of a mischievous or maHgnant, of a filthy and wicked spirit.

For he fell not from
his pureness only through his own
fault,in which he was firstcreated of the most pure God ;
but even now also he is delighted with unpureness, and
allureth all men to uncleanness. From this master of mis-
chief
proceed all filtliylusts, all whoredoms, adulteries, all
excess, drunkenness and surfeiting,all beastliness and
vanity,
pride and arrogancy, "c.
Now the devil also in the gospel is called Beelzebub,
because that sometime they of Accaron in Palestine, thinking
they worshipped God, worshipped in very deed the devil.
St Paul saith : What " '''"
agreement hath Christ with Belial ?" ^l^"""-
He setteth Belial against Christ, to wit, the devil against God.
But Moses put the cogitation of Belial for a wicked and
evil
thought \ Therefore the devil is wicked and ungodly, rebel-
lious
and obstinate against God. For they say that Belial
signifieth altogether as
would say, lawless,
much as if a man
without yoke and without discipline^. There are some also

which think that in the Book of Job the devil is figured or nified
sig-
by Behemoth and Leviathan. Job xl, and xli.chapter.
St Paul giveth the devils divers names, saying, that
the godly hath battle against principalitiesand powers, against
"
''j ^'
worldly of the darkness of this world
governors against ^p/g."'
spiritual wickedness in heavenly (places),against the go-vernor
that ruleth in the air, against the spirit that now
worketh in the children of disobedience :" whom also in an-
other
place he calleth
"
the god of this world." And as
God exerciseth his power in the world and in the good for
[* fere, Lat. ; generally.]

[5 Deut. Kv. 9. "Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked
(marg.Belial)heart, that there be not a poynte of Belial." Cover-
"
dale. 1535.]
[6 Hebraiis componitur vox (Belial) a
'"^2et ^^'", significans vol
absque jugo vel absque utilitate. Bulling. Comment, in loc,
cit.]
"
\y adversus principes mundi et tcnebrarum seculi hujus,Lat.]

358 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SEIIM.
tliomost part by good angels,who for that cause, I said,are

and powers ; so because the same
called principalities God
of hisjustjudgment doth suffer the devil to have rule over
the wicked, they are rightlycalledprincipalities and powers :
not that God deliverethunto him the mere and chiefestrule,
(forall power belongeth to God only ;)but because he suf-
fereth him to execute his tyranny. For he plainly saith
that he is the "
prince of the world," to wit,of the wicked ;
for by interpretationit foUoweth, He is the prince of the
"
darkness of this world :" and who knoweth not that in the
scriptures darkness doth signify ignorance, bhndness, un-
belief,
ungodliness,and wickedness ; and, to be short,ungodly
men
which are drowned in these vices? And again, there
is added that which declareth the true meaning : " Which
worketh in the children of disobedience." Therefore the
faithfuland obedient,who are in the kingdom of Christ and
not in the kingdom of the devil, are exempted from this
rule and government.
Neither is Satan called god upon any other considera-
Thegodof
this world.
tion; for there is added, of this world." For in very deed
'
"
, . \
the devil is not a god ; but because there are found in the
world certainmadmen who take him for god, he hath the
name of God. The blessedfather Augustine expounded this
no otherwise ; for in his treatiseupon John xxv-. he saith:
"
God forbid should think the devil were
we so called the
prince of the world, that we should believe that he is able
to rule over heaven and earth : but the world (forhe is
called the prince of this is said to be in wicked men,
world)
which are dispersed throughout the whole compass of the
earths" And again the same Augustine in his firstchapter
The prince cU A(/07ie Cliristicmo saith: "The prince of this world is
cast out. cast out ; not that he is cast out of the world, but out of their
minds which cleave to the word of God and love not the
world whereof he is prince,because he hath dominion over
them which love temporal goods, which are contained in this
visible world : not for that he is lord of this world, but
prince of those concupiscences whereby everything is co-
\}Absit autem ut diabolum mundi principem ita dictum existi-
memus, ut eum coelo ct terra) dominari posse credamus : sed mundus
appellatur in malis hominibus, qui toto orbe terrarum diffusisunt."
August. Tract, in Joan. 25. 0pp. Tom. ix. fol.78. col. 2. Par. 1532.]
IX.]
By this concupiscence the devil
veted that is transitory.
reigneth in man, and holdeth his heart in possession-." The
same doctor in his treatise upon John hi. askcth the ques-
tion,
"
Whether Satan were not cast out of the minds of the
prophets and patriarchs, since it is reported in the gospel
that he is cast out by Christ?" And he maketh answer:
"
Verily, he is cast out quite. How therefore is it said,
*
He shall now be cast out?' How think we, but because
that which came to pass in very few men is even now told
fore-
that it shall pass shortly in many
come to
and mighty
people; as that saying, 'But the Holy Ghost was not yet
given, because Jesus was not yet glorified,' may have the
like question and the like answer ? For the abundance of
was not as
yet, which afterward was
spiritual grace given
given ^^ Thus far he.
Furthermore, apostle saith, that
"we
when fight rrincc
the of the
against spiritual wickednesses in heavenly places :" by hea-

venly
he meaneth not heavenly joys,placing the devils in
heaven but the air, that is, the lower part of the
again ;
world, yea, and the world itself. For he saith elsewhere :

"
According to the spirit that ruleth in the air." And truly
the princes of this world are in the air, above, beneath, and
about us, assaulting us on every side. Otherwise, neither
heaven nor the lower region of the air is to
subject the rule
missus est foras ; non

[2 Princeps hujusmundi quia extra mundum
missus est, sed foras
. .
ab animis eorum
.
qui cohserent verbo Dei, et
non diligunt mundum ille princeps est ; quia dominatur eis qui
cujus
diligunt temporalia bona, quse hoc visibili mundo continentur. Non
quia ipse dominus est hujus mundi, sed princeps cupiditatum earum,
quibus concupiscitur omne quod transit Per banc cupiditatem

. . .
reg-
nat in homine diabolus,et cor tenet. Id. de Agon. Chi-ist.cap. 1.
ejus "
0pp. Tom. iii.fol.162. col. 1.]

[3 Sed dicit aliquis, Nunquid de cordibus patriarcharum et pi*o-
justorum non foras?
(diabolus)
phetarum veterumque ejectusest
Ejectusest plane. Quomodo ergo dictum est. Nunc foras ?
ejicietur
Quomodo putamus, nisi quia tunc quod in hominibus paucissimis
factum est, nunc in multis magnisque populis jam mox futurum esse
prsedictum est? Sic et illud quod dictum est, Spiritus autera nondum
erat datus, quia Jesus nondum ha-
fuerat glorificatus,potest similem bere
qusestionem et similem solutionem Spiritus nondum erat datus,. . .
id est, ilia abundantia gratise spiritalis,qua congregati Unguis omnium

loquereutm-, "c. Id. Tract, in Joan. 52. 0pp. Tom. ix. fol. 78. coll.
"
1, 2.]
3G0 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
of devils,that therein they may do what they will,or abuse

it as they list; but so far forth as God of his just judgment
shall permit. For in this disputation we must always hold
for a confessed and undoubted truth, that our Lord God is
king and governor of all creatures, and that he keepeth still
his dominion over all creatures, and exerciseth the same after
a most justand equal manner.
The opera- And althouffh out of all these things might be gathered
tionsollhe , ,",
? "
, 1 "
-iV i^
devil. how great and what manner oi operation the devil s is, yet
thereunto will I add somewhat more, lest anything should
seem to be wanting in this matter. In the description of the
devil I drew into two heads all his effects, works, or operations.
For adversaries to God and enemies to
devils are
men, whose whole endeavours and driftstend to the despising
of God, and to the deceiving and destruction of men. The
sum therefore is this : They bend all their force to the con-
tempt
of God and destruction of men. And that their power
to hurt is not small, and their understanding also quick to
bring all their purposes to effect, we have heard once or
twice already. That they have a will to do hurt, there is no

cause why any man should doubt. For the Lord said to
Lukexxii. his disciples in the gospel: "Behold, Satan hath
earnestly
Matt.xxvi. desired to sift you as it were wheat." And again: '-'Watch
and pray, lest ye enter into temptation." And St Peter saith:
1 Pet. V.
"
Your adversary, as a roaring lion,rangeth up and down,
seeking whom he may devour." And that he withstandeth

God, and with continual labour gainsay eth God, and stirreth
up all creatures to the hating and despising of God, the
scripture doth everywhere testify. He did wickedly instil

into the minds of our firstparents an opinion altogether un-
worthy
of God, as though maliciously he did envy at their
Gen. iii. blessed state. For he said by the serpent : Hath God "
said ye shall not eat of that tree?" And anon: "Ye shall
not die the death. For God doth know, that the same day
that ye eat thereof your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall
be as gods, knowing good and evil." Unto which deceitful
words when they gave credit, they themselves perished, and

drew with them the whole world into ruin and destruction.
Neither at this day verily ccascth he to slander and speak
his works, to the in-
tent
evil as well of God himself as also of
that he might draw us together with him into the hating
IX.]
of God, into distrust and desperation, and to everlasting de-struction
; for he envieth us our salvation whereunto we are
ordained by Christ. But it is better to speak somewhat more
distinctly of this thing.

Satan hurts men in their minds, in their bodies, and in
their goods. For he enticcth and provokcth our minds to
sin. Furthermore he also troubleth the minds of

and men,
driveth them into an

outrage ; and being out of quiet in this
their outrage, he miserably vexeth, tormenteth, and dis-
patcheth^ them. Hereupon thou mayest read that some
physicians call this madness or outrage an evil spirit or

wicked devil. But he diversely plagueth their bodies, chiefly
with diseases. We have the most holy man Job for an ex-
ample.
In
the gospel after St Luke it is said, that that Luke xiii,
woman,
which was bowed together, was bound by Satan
eighteen years. Again, in the gospel according to St Mark
read of a child which had a dumb spirit: And

"
we Markix.
whenso-
ever he taketh him, he teareth him, and he foameth, and
gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away;" and casting him-
self
on the ground, lieth grovelling. This selfsame evil spirit
taketh away from men their goods, wasteth and diminisheth
their substance and worldly wealth. Which thing again is
manifest in the history of Job and of the gospel : for Job
is spoiled of all his substance, Satan so ordering the matter,
by soldiers and robbers. The herd of swine also, being
drowned and strangled in the sea, wrought great loss to the
Gergesites ; and, being violently carried away of the devils,
were tumbled headlong into the sea. Furthermore, this
mischievous miscreant in accomplishing these things doth
somewhat by himself and by wicked angels his fellows, and
somewhat by other creatures. By himself he worketh out-

wardly
inwardly, by tempting and provoking men.
and For
he casteth before our eyes counterfeit and deceitful shapes ;
changing himself into an angel of light, he windeth himself
into the minds of He
speaketh unto us, setting before
men.
us
gay promises and most grievous threatenings, howbeit all
of them coloured with deceits and lies. For oftentimes he
bringeth reasons, probable indeed and apparent, yea, and
places of scripture at a blush very agreeable, but yet ciously
mali-
wrested to his own purpose. And by this means he
[1 conficit, Lat.]
cither hindercth and maimeth true faith in the minds of men ;

or else he taketh it away and utterly overthroweth it, and
by and by possesseth them wholly, and driveth them into
certain perdition. So it is said that when he had en-
johnxiii.
most tered
into Judas' heart, he cast him wholly headlong into
everlasting destruction. The heart of man is open unto God
only, for he only is the searcher of the heart and reins.

But the devil,by circumventing men with his guilefulpractices;
and by putting wicked persuasions into their hearts, is said
to enter into men's hearts. And he worketh against man
by other creatures also,as by elements, when he raiseth fire,

winds, waters, hail, and such like calamities against us.
Furthermore, he stirreth up men against us, our friends to
vex and betray us, and our enemies to consume and bring
us to ourwith persecutions, battles, and
end bloodsheds.
The history of Job yet again beareth witness of these things.
Whereunto thou may est reckon persecutions laid upon the
worshippers of God. Now also he eggeth false prophets
and enchanters against us. Whereunto belong deceitfuljug-
glings and all kinds of sorcery and witchcraft ; which the

works of the sorcerers of Egypt, and of Simon, and the place
of Moses in Deut. xiii,testify to be most effectual. Hereunto
chiefly belong false miracles and corrupt answers or oracles.
By these truly in times past he did very much hurt to the
church of God, as histories testify,neither ceaseth he at this

day to do hurt :
which thing experience itselfdoth teach and
verify.
Matt. xii. For though it be certain that Satan is not cast out by
the power of Satan; yet one giveth place to another for
a time, to this end, that they may the more easily deceive
men, and obtain a kingdom. Christ truly and the apostle
Paul foretold, that even the last times should be wonderfully
bewitched deceitful signs and powers.
with Most evident
places touching that thing are extant in Matthew xxiv.
2 Thessalonians ii.chapter. JSIore might be spoken, dearly
beloved, and that at large, concerning the operations or
workings of the devil ; but I trust these things being gathered

together in brevity are sufllicient,and give occasion to muse
of higher things.
But let no understand these things,as if the devil
man so
were able to do all things, and that what he will he can also
OF EVIL SPIRITS. 3G3
IX.]
do by and by. For his power is definite,or limited and The power
"
1 1 1 1 11 111
"fthedevilis
restrained, '
so that he cannot do so much as he would : other-
definite or
limited.
^ ^ ^
wise all things had been overthrown and perished long ago.
Therefore not without consideration I added in the describing
of the devil,that he is subject to God ; for he can do nothing

without God's permission. Now God permitteth him, either
to exercise and try the patience of those that are his, and to
hasten their salvation ; as it is manifest in the history of Job,
and in the words of Paul to the Corinthians, saying, Lest scor.

"
xu.
I should be exalted out of measure through the abundance of

the revelations, there was given unto me a prick to the flesh,
the messenger of Satan to buffet me." Neither is it doubt-
ful,
that in most of persecutions he exalteth
grievous torments
many notable martyrs, yea, and at this day doth and in times
past hath exalted such, unto glory and everlastingrest. Or
else he giveth the devil leave to execute violence and cruelty
upon men, by that means to chastise their wickedness or to
punish their unbelief. For verily the devils are the instru-
ments
of God's wrath, to execute his vengeance. For Paul
saith: "The coming of antichrist is after the working of2Thess.

ii.
Satan, in all power, and signs, and wonders of lying, and

in all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish ;
because they received not the love of truth, that they might
be saved. And therefore God shall send them strong delu-
sion,
that they should believe lies; that all they might be
damned which beUeved not the truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness." And this in a manner is the strength
and power of sorcery and enchanting, which is feeble in the
faithful.
Wherefore there is should miser- ^^^man-
no cause why any man
fear devil But "

rather sanctify ye (saith Esay)
ably the
^
: but [fJ^'Jie
the Lord of hosts ; let him be your fear and your reverence."
ft|r"him.""'
Some say that certain nations of the East worshipped the
devil for this cause, that he should not hurt them^. But these
are stark staring mad. For if it be not God's will,which even
now I began to tellyou, or if he give no leave, Satan cannot
touch so much as a hair of thine. For he
could not enter
into the herd of swine, which were feeding nigh the lake
[1 ipsum, Lat. omitted; himself.]
[2 Selden de Diis Syris. Syntag. u. cap. 6. ct Add. Beyeri. p. 134.

Amstel. 1680.]
Genezaret at GadaraS and destroy tliem, but by the Lord's

permission. St Augustine also, expounding the thirty-second
Psalm, allegeth in these words the history of Job : " What
could the devil himself do ? durst he take away one

silly
sheep from the holy man Job, before he said, Lay thy hand
on him, that is to say, give me power ? He was willing, but
God did not suffer him. When God gave him leave, then he
was able : therefore the devil was not able, but God which
gave him leave. Therefore Job being well instructed did not
say, as we now are wont to say, The Lord gave, and the
devil hath taken away ; but. The Lord gave, and the Lord
2."
hath taken away And these things do exceedingly comfort
the godly in temptations ; who understand that nothing can
happen to them without God*'s permission, and that he per-
mitteth nothing but that which maketh for our amendment
and salvation, and therefore that we are always preserved by
the providence and bountifulness of God. For whatsoever
hath hitherto been concerning the power and work-
spoken ings
of the devils pertained not hitherto, to dash us out of
courage and cast us down ; but to make us more

vigilant or
watchful. The Lord, that overcame the devil and sheweth us
the way to overcome him, commandeth us to watch. For

therefore he encountered with Satan the first,second, and
third time, to instruct us how we should fight against the
enemy of mankind. He overcame him for us, that we should
not despair of ability and power easily to overcome him, since

he is already weakened and wounded. By faith, doubtless,
we shall overcome him : for by faith we are knit unto
Christ, and by faith we draw the Spirit of Christ, by the force
and virtue whereof we shall triumph. Truly for that cause
St Peter willeth us "
to resist by faith." St Paul, exhorting
us unto this conflict,and furnishing us

with excellent complete
[1 prope paludem Gadarenam apucl Gadaram, Lat. See above,

p. 353, note 4.]
[2 Quid ipse diabolus ? Ausus est vel unam oviculam tollere viro
sancto Job, nisi prius diceret, Mitte mauum tuam, hoc est, da potes-
tatem ? Illo volebat, sed ille non sinebat. Quando ille permisit, ille
potuit: non ergo ille potuit, sed qui permisit. Ideo bene eruditus
ipso Job non ait, sicut jam vobis soleinus, Dominus
commemorare
dcdit, et diabolus abstulit ; sed, Dominus dedit, et Dominus abstulit. "
August. EnaiTat. pars 2. in Psal. xxxii. 0pp. Tom. vii. fol. 4G. col. 1.]
or EVIL SPIRITS. 365
IX.]
armour, salth :
"
Take unto you the whole armour of God, Ephcs.
that ye may be able to resist in the evil day, and, having

finished all things, to stand fast. Stand therefore, having
your loins girt about with the truth, and having on the
breast-plate of righteousness, and your feet shod that you
may be prepared to the gospel of peace ; above all things
taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may quench all the
fiery darts of that wicked. And take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, pray-
ing
always in all prayers and supphcation in the spirit^" "c.
AVhereunto that also belongeth, which the same apostle wit-
nesseth:
"
God doth not sufi'erus to be tempted above that we i cor. "
are able to bear, but shall with the temptation make a way to
escape." Let us therefore reverence this God ; let us beseech

him, that through his power and might we may overcome.
Amen.
OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MxVN; AND OF HIS

MOST CERTAIN SALVATION AFTER THE
DEATH OF HIS BODY.
THE TENTH SERMON.
All men do confess that the reasonable soul of man hath
affinityor likeness with spirits; neither is there any wise man,

as I think, which doth deny that the knowledge
of the rea-
sonable
soul of man, whereof the scripture teacheth so many
things, and that too so diligently, is most wholesome and ne-
cessary
to all the godly. The
order therefore, the profit,and
the very necessity also of things^ do require, that I speak
somewhat likewise of the reasonable soul of man : wherein I
will follow the plainness of the scripture and of the interpre-

ters
thereof, leaving physical or natural points unto them to
be expounded unto whom it belongeth by duty and profes-
sion
; saving that will so far deal in them as we
we cannot
want them in this discourse of ours. The holy scripture

and the interpreters thereof neither move curious questions of
the soul of man; neither do they satisfy curious heads, when
they desire to know those things which cannot be declared,
[3 Erasmus' translation.]
["*Rather, The order of things therefore, profit,and very necessity.]
S66 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
or, if they could, yet it would always seem unto them that
nothing were unto them more aptly spoken; for they always
stagger, they are always learning and yet doubt, they never
come to the knowledge
of the truth with a quiet mind, they
never abide in the plain truth when it is found, they search
after other and many more and subtiler matters than they
understand. But we know that all things which are neces-
sary
and for our salvation arc simply and plainly delivered
in the holy scriptures,and that wo must simply, godlily,and
rehgiously rest in them : therefore those things that are not

delivered in them touching the matter of our salvation, we
know that they are not to be sought after of
and that they us,
hinder not our salvation if we be ignorant of them.

The word The word anima, which we call soul, is diversely taken
anima
(which we
in the holy scripture. First of all anima, the soul, is taken
call soul ) is
divertely
taken.
for every living thing ; for Moses bringeth in the Lord
Gen. i. speaking, "Let the earth bring forth living creature^ after
his kind, cattle,worm, and beast of the earth after his kind."
For who knoweth not that there are reckoned three kinds or
parts (giveme leave so to speak for instruction's or

sake)
three principal powers of the soul? For there is the soul
vegetative which worketh in plants ; there is the soul sen-

sitive,
which is not without the soul vegetative, and it giveth
lifeto brute beasts and other creatures endued with life and
feeling^ ; there is also the reasonable soul wherewith men
are endued, which is furnished with many powers or abilities,

The and comprehendeth both the other. Hereof anima, the
soul is
breath and
life. soul, is taken in the scripture for breath which men draw in
and let go again, and also for the life of man, or of a living
creature. Thus weread, Anima "c., "His life is in

[Arts XX.
10.]
ejus
[1 Sam. XXVI him and, "I
:" will do thee no more harm (saithSaul to
21.]
David),because {anima mea) my precious in thine
life was
eyes this day." The Grecians call anima, the soul, as

^j/v^tju,
it were because by drawing breath it refresheth.
a.va\l/v)(TJv,
Soul is taken The Hebricians call it Ncepluesch, of comforting^. Again,
for man.
anima, the soul, is taken in the scriptures for the thing itself
that hath life,yea, even for any, or rather for the whole man.
levit. XX. For it is said in the law: "The soul that worketh with a
[1 animam viventem, Lat.]

[2and other feeling, not in
"
Lat.]
[3 a refocillando, Lat.]
X.] OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. SG7
spirit,or that is a soothsayer, shall die." Likewise in Paul

we read: "Let every soul be subject to the higher power." Rom- xni.
And again, in Genesis, the king of Sodom saith to Abraham :

"
Give me the souls,and take the substance or
goods to thy- cen. xiv.
self." For the scripture is wont to name the whole by a

part : for as by the soul he means the whole man, rehearsing
the nobler part, so by flesh also he signifiesthe whole baser
part. Moreover since man and also other living creatures soui a desire.
have appetitive or desiring soul,soul is used in the scripture

an
for affection,will, desire, or lust. For Ezckiel saith, "They ezck. vii.
shallnot satisfytheir souls" (inDutch, Sj/ tverden irenglust nit

hussen),"neither shall their belliesbe filled."Lastly, anima, souusthe
spirit of man.
1 i''/"ii -If 1 n
the soul, signitieththe reasonable whereof we soul of man :
will entreat (God assisting)

at this present. Yet here I cannot
dissemble, that among very famous writers there is controversy
de anima, et about the soul and the mind, whether
ammo,
they are one and the selfsame, or diverse ; and that there are
reasons on both sides. They that make a difference between The soui and
them say, that by the soul we live, and that with the mind
we understand ; which thing Lactantius saith in his 18th
chapter de Opificio Dei'^. I know that all the best and most
approved writers use them both indifferently,and take the

one for the other.
For we must not think that there are two souls in man. J^^^l^l^^^
For very well have the school definitions^defined, uttering *""'"
these words in the fifteenth chapter : " We do not say that
there are two souls in one man, as Jacobus
and certain of the
Syrians write; one natural, whereby the body hath life,and is
mingled with blood ; the other spiritual,which ministereth
reason :say there is one and the selfsame soul in man,
but we
which both quickeneth the body with his fellowship, and

ordereth himself by his own reason^." Therefore we
^
do not That there
is a soul.
[4 Sequitur alia et ipsa inextricabilisqusestio : Idemne sit anima et

animus ; an vero aliud sit illud quo vivimus, aliud autem quo sentimus
et sapimus. " Lactant. de Opif. Dei. cap. 18.]
[5 definitiones ecclesiasticas,Lat.]
[^Neque duas animas esse dicimus in uno homine, sicut Jacobus
et alii Syrorum scribunt ; unam animalem, qua animetur corpus et im-
mixta sit sanguini, et alteram spiritalem, qute rationem ministret : sed
dicimus unam esse eandemque animam in homine, quse et corpus sua
societate vivificet, et semetipsam sua ratione disponat August, de
Eccles. dogra. cap. 15. 0pp. Tom. iii. fol. 42. col. 4.]
SG8 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
think that there is any consideration to be had of them which

is a soul ; for these are
altogether deny that there
as mad
as they which deny that the sun shineth. For all of us do
live by the benefit of
and feel the sun : as also
see we
the soul.
Furthermore, the reasonable soul of man is, the
What the what
Eoul is.
wise heads of this world could not
as yet with one agreement
define. For they so differ that a man shall hardly find two
which say one thing ; and there are opinions not a few
What, do not the old interpre-
ters
contrary between themselves.
in defining the soul?
of the scriptures doubtingly proceed
Lactantius, in his book de Optficio Dei, denieth that man
Therefore
can attain to the reason and nature of the souP.
from the truth, which thought the
nothing at all did they err
in no absolute definition,
soul could be comprehended wherein
be the full
his nature might expressed throughly and at ; yet
that the nature or dispositionof the same might after a sort

be shadowed out, and that by the works or actions thereof,
doth attribute. There
and by such qualitiesas the scripture
are some therefore which have said,that the soul is the spirit
image of God, and breathed into the
of life,created after the
body of man. One there is which describes it thus : The soul
is a spirit,whereby the body to which it is coupled doth live,
God through love, and hereby
made apt to the knowledge of
meet to be joinedwith him unto everlasting blessedness.
Another defineth it after this sort : A reasonable soul is an
the substance of man ; neither
understanding spirit,one part of
dieth it when it is departed from the body, but is immortal.
Cassiodore defineth it: The soul of man is created of God, a

the body
spiritualand peculiar substance, which quickeneth
2.
it is, reasonable indeed and immortal We will
whose own
set down a description fetched from the scripture, to be
to direct and
weighed and considered upon of the godly, and
The soul is a spiritualsubstance,
rule this our whole discourse.
into man s body, that, being joined thereunto,
poured of God
inter philosophos convenit, nee

[1 Quid autemsit anima, nondum
fortasse conveniet. Etenim alii sanguinem esse dixerunt, alii
unquam
ignem, "e. Lactant.
" de Opif. Dei. cap. 17.]
alii ventum,
Anima hominis Deo creata,spiritalispropriaque substantia,
[2 est a
immortalis. Cassiodor.
sui corporis vivificatrix,rationabilis quidcm et
"
0pp. de Anima. p. 286. Par. 1579.]

OF THE REASONABLE SOL'L OF MAN. 3G9
X]
it miglit quicken and direct the same ; but being dissevered
from the body, it should not die but live immortal for ever.
Some that the soul is a substance ; for they con- ^'lat souis
deny
tend that it is nothing else than the power of lifein man, ^taiues.
and
indeed^ a certain quality. But the holy scripture acknow-
ledgeth that the soul is a subtance subsisting; for the Lord
in the gospel witnesseth, that a soul may be tormented in
hell : which forthwith by the selfsame authority of the
gospel is shewed as it were to be viewed with our eyes, in

the soul of the rich glutton. The same Lord which cannot
lie said to the thief, "
To day shalt thou be with me in mke xxiu.
Paradise which words cannot be expounded

:" of any other
part in the thief than of the soul ; for his body was nailed,
and did hang on the cross. Whereupon also the apostle and
"
under the altar the souls of them that were
Rev. vi.
evangelist saw
slain for the word of God." He heard them "
crying with
a loud voice, and saying: How long tarriest thou, Lord,
which art holy and true, to judge,and to avenge our blood
on them that dwell on the earth?" The same John saw
long white garments given to every one of the souls, these
words being therewithal spoken of the Lord :
"
Rest yet for
a httle season, until your fellow-servants, and your brethren
that shall be killed shall be fulfilled." All which
as ye are,
verily agree not to qualities,but to substances which have

their being : therefore the souls of men are substances. Which
thing that they most
plainly and pithily express,
might
certain ecclesiastical
writers, I think, have set down that the
souls of men are bodily, that is, substances of their kind,

having their proper being. Neither do I think, dearly
beloved, I shall be tedious unto you, if I recite word for
word that which St Augustine hath reasoned of this matter

on both parts in his epistleto St Hierome, which is in order
the twenty-eighth, saying :
"
That the soul is bodiless,though
it be hard to persuade it to the duller sort, yet I confess that
I am so persuaded. that I may
But not move controversy
about a word to no purpose, I will willingly be silent; because
where there is no doubt of the thing, there is no need to
strive about the name. If every substance or essence be a
body, or if that which after some sort is in itselfis more
aptly called something, then the soul is a body. But if you

so.]
24
[bULLINGER,
III.]
is altogether un-
will call that only a bodiless nature, which changeable
and is then the soul is a
wholly everywhere,
body, because the soul is no some such thing. Furthermore,
if nothing be a body but that which with some length,
breadth, and height resteth, or is moved in space of place,
that the greater part thereof takcth the greater room and
the lesser the lesser room, and be less in part than in the
part
whole, then the soul is not a body. For that which giveth
the power of life unto the body is stretched through the
whole body, not by local spreading of itself,but by a cer-tain
lively extending of itself. For the whole soul is present
in all and every part of the body at once, and not lesser
in the lesser parts nor greater in the greater parts ; but
in some places more vehement and quick, in some more
remiss and faint, and in all it is the whole and in every

part the whole. For that whole soul which in some parts of
the body feeleth not, in some other parts where it feeleth it
doth wholly feel in itself,and not only in some part of itself.
For where any part of the quick flesh is pricked with a sharp
thing, although that place be not only not of the whole body,
no, not so much almost as seen in the body, yet the whole
soul feeleth that pricking ; and yet is not that pain that is felt
dispersed over all the parts of the body, but is only felt
where it is. How then cometh that by and by to the whole
soul, which is not felt but in one place of the body, but
because that the whole soul is there where the smart is felt,
and yet leaveth not the other parts of the body that it might
be there wholly and all in all ? For those parts of the body
live also by the presence of the soul, where no such thing is
done. If it were that the grief were
so in more places than
one at once, it should be felt by the whole soul in each place.
Therefore the whole soul could not be both in all and in every
part of the body, whose own it is, all at once, if it were so
spread through those parts as we see bodies are by spaces of
places, their lesser parts taking the lesser room and their
greater parts the greater room. Wherefore if the soul be to
be termed a body, surely it is not such a body as is in substance
like theearth, or like the water, or the air, or the
celestialbodies. For all such bodies are greater in greater
places and lesser in lesser places, and nothing of them is
wholly in any some part of theirs ; but as the parts of the
X.] or THE REASONABLE SOUL OF "LVN. 371
places be, sofilledwith the parts of the bodies.

are they
Whereupon the soul is perceived, whether it be a body or
"whether it is to be called bodiless, to have a certain proper
nature, created of a more excellent substance than all the
elements of the earthly mould : which cannot be conceived by
any phantasy or imagination of bodily shapes which we attain
unto by the senses of our flesh, but is understood in the mind
and feltin the life^ ."
Thus far have I rehearsed Augustine's
words.
[}Incoi-porcam quoqu'o esse

animam, etsi difficiletardioribus per-
suader!
potest, mihi tamen fatcor esse pcrsuasum. Sod ne vcrbi con-
troversiam vel supci-fluo faciam, vel morito patiar ; quoiiiam cum do
ro constat, non
est opus certare do nomine
si corpus est omnis stantia
sub- :
vel essentia, vol si quid aptius nuncupatur id quod aliquo mode

est in seipso, corpus est anima. Item si earn solam incorpoream placet
appellare naturam, quae summe incommutabilis et ubique tota est,
corpus est anima,
quoniam talc aliquid ipsa non est. Porro si corpus
non est, nisi quod per loci spatium aliqua longitudine, latitudine, alti-
tudiue ita sistitur vel movetur, ut sui parte locum oc-
majori majorcm
cupet et breviore breviorem, minusque sit in parte quam in toto, non
est corpus anima : per totum quippe

corpus quod animat, non locali
diflfusione, sod quadam vitali intcntione porrigitur. Nam per omnes
tota simul adest, nee minor in minoribus et in majori-
ejusparticulas
bus sed alicubi intensius, alicubi remissius, et in omnibus tota
major,
ct in singulis tota est. Neque enim aliter quod in corpore etiam non
toto sentit, tamen tota sentit. cum Nam exiguo puncto in carne
viva
aliquid tangitm*, quamvis locus ille non solum totius corporis non sit,
sed vix in corpore videatur, animam tamen totam non latet; neque id
quod sentitur per corporis cuncta discurrit, sed ibi tamen sentitur ubi
fit. Unde ergo ad totam mox pervenit, quod non in toto fit, nisi quia
et ibi tota est ubi fit, ncc ibi sit cetei'a dcserit? Vivunt
ut tota enim
et ilia ea prsesente ubi nihil tale factum est. Quod si fieret, et utrum-
que simul fieret, simul utrumque totam pariter non lateret. Proinde
et in omnibus simul et in singulis particulis corporis sui tota simul
esse non posset, si per illasita diffunderetur, ut videmus corpora fusa
dif-
per spatia locorum minoribus suis partibus minora occupare et
amplioribus ampliora. Quapropter si anima corpus esse dicenda est,
non est certe corpus, quale terrenum est, nee quale humidum aut
aereum aut
sethereum. Omnia quippe talia in
majora sunt majoribus
locis et minora in minoribus locis, et nihil eoi'um in aliqua sui parte
totum adest, sed ut sunt partes locorum, ita occupantm- partibus cor-
porum. Unde intelligitur anima, sive corpus sive incorporea dicenda
est, propriam quandam habere naturam, omnibus his mundanse molis
dementis excellentiore substantia creatam; quse veraciter non possit
in aliqua fantasia corporalium imaginum, quas per carnis sensus per-
24"2
The soul is
Thescripture also almetli chieflyat this mark^ to teach
bodiless, or a
spirit. that the soul is bodiless; for advisedly and expressly it

calleth the same a spirit. For the Lord in the gospel after
John I will put my life from and I will take it
"
saith : me,
again. Xo man taketh it from me, but I put it away of

Jolin xix.
myself." And in the same evangehst you read : And Jesus "
said, It is finished : and when he had bowed his head, he
gave up the ghost."" For he crieth out in another evangelist:

Luke xxiii. "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." And Matthew
Matl. xxvii. saith :
"
And Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud
voice, yielded up the ghost." Whereunto doubtless may be
referred that which we read in the Acts of the Apostles of

Acts viu the firstmartyr, Stephen : " And they stoned Stephen, call-
ing
What ner
man-
and saying, Lord
on Jesu, receive my spirit." But
of stance
sub-
the by these things I cannot plainly and pithily express^ more
soul of man
is.
what manner
of substance the soul of man is, which I believe
to be a spirit, having indeed a substance created of God
proper and peculiar to itself. For Augustine, whose words

I alleged a littlebefore, saith yet again, 1 cap. de Quantitate
Animce :
"
I cannot the substance of the soul, for I do
name
not think the same to be of these usual and known natures

which we touch with the senses of our body. For I think
that the soul consisteth not of earth, nor of water, nor of
air, nor
of fire,neither yet of all these joinedtogether, nor
of any of them.
one The nature of the soul may be called
simple, because it consisteth not of other natures^." Which

words of Augustine Cassiodore willing to rehearse and express
by imitation saith : "
The
created of God is a soul of man
spiritualand peculiar substance^.'"* Therefore I simply affirm
cipimus, cogitari, secI mente intelligivitaque sentiri August. Ep. 28.

Hieronymo de Natura et Origine Aniraarum. 0pp. Tom. ii, fol. 19. col.
4. Par. 1532.]
[1 hue maxima inclinat,Lat.]

[2His vero significantius,Lat. ; more expressively than these texts.]
P Substantiam vero (animre) nominaro
ejus non possum: non enim
eam puto esse ex iis usitatis notisque naturis quas istis corporis sen-
sibus tangimus. Nam neque ex terra, neque ex aqua, ncquc ex aere.
neque ex igni, neque ex his omnibus, neque ex alitiuibus horum con-
junctisconstare animam puto Simplex anima; natura dici potest,
quia ex aliisnaturis non est. "

August, de Quant. Anim"e. 0pp. Tom. i.
fol. 122. col. 4,]

[' Sec above, p. 368, n.
2.]
OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 373
X.]
that the soul hath a singular, yea, a certain more excellent
substance, and differing from other spirits,having his true
being and working always from his Creator''; but such as
we in our speech cannot compass, neither are able to utter.
In the meanwhile we do not allow of them who, minding xhesouiis
to express what manner of substance the soul is, say that n""r pan of
the soul is God, or else surely a part or portion of God^.

For the scripture reproveth them both. For truly the soul
is a creature, and is drowned in variableness and sins : but a
creator,and it is not.
clean of itself, And because God the
Creator is immutable and indivisible,the soul cannot be a por-tion
of God. Therefore elegantly and truly Aurelius Pru-
dcntius in his Apotheosis, after he had in many words
confuted these filthy errors, gathering at length all the mean-
ing
of the truth, saith :
To say the soul is GOD, or part of him,
'Tis folly great, and too absurd a thing :

Since chief and heavenly joys it tastes, which swim
From always fresh and everlasting spring.
Xow it obeys, anon it falls to sin ;
One
while in joy,anotlier while in pain:
For due desert such guerdon it doth win :
Now punish'd 'tis,anon 'tis free again 7.
Tothe end that we might overthrow this error, and dis-

cern
the soul from other spirits and spiritualsubstances, we
added in our description; That the soul of man
"
is poured
into the body of man
whereby by God
every man under- :""
standeth without any ado, that it is created, and also is a

spirit,not angelical, but human, that is,breathed into man's
body by God, of his own essence
and nature.
Where again a new question
^
touchingo the original ^^ft'êori-
of ginal of the
^5 O
^
souls doth offer itselfto us to be expounded. For it is wont '""'-

to be asked, from whence souls come ? When or how they
enter into their bodies ? St Hierome is the author, that in
[5 a creatione sua, Lat. ; from its

creation.]
[6 Manicheeorum, delirio "
quod rursus hac setate invehere tentavit

Servetus. " Calv. Instit. Lib. i. cap. 15. " 5.]
[7 Absurde fertur Deus aut pars esse Dei ; quso
Divinum summumque bonum de fonte perenni
Nunc bibit obsequio, nunc culpa aut crimine perdit ;
Et mode supplicium recipit, mode libera calcat.
Prudent. Apoth. 952"955.]
time past there many opinions, and those same

were most
contrary between themselves, touching the original of souls.

For he, writing to jMarcellinus and Anapsychias, saith : "I
remember your question, nay rather forsooth, the question

it
of the church, touching the state of the soul : whether
fell from heaven, as Pythagoras the philosopher, and all Pla-
tonists and Origen do think : or whether it be of the proper
substance of God, as the Stoics, Manicheus, and the heresies
of Priscillianus of Spain do suppose : whether they be counted
in God's treasury, long since laid up there, as certain church-
men
foolishly persuaded think : whether they be daily made
is
of God and sent into bodies, according to that which
written in the gospel,
"
My Father worketh hitherto, and I
work:" or whether, ex traduce, that is, by the generation

of the parents, as Tcrtullian, Apollinarius, and the greatest
part of the west churches ; that as a body is
conjecture
born of a body, so a soul is born of a soul, and hath his
beinof after the like state as brute beasts have^" But all
those opinions are confuted of ecclesiastical
writers with sound
arguments. That opinion is received and avouched for the
truest which holdeth, That the soul is created of nothing,
and poured of God into the body, when the child is made
perfect in shape and in every part of his body in the womb

of his mother. For thus the ecclesiasticaldefinitions do de-
clare
Wesay that the Creator of all things doth only
"
:
know the creation of the soul; and that the body only is
sowed by (carnal) copulation in marriage ; that by the true
appointment it thickeneth in the matrice, becometh
of God a
the body is
substance and receiveth shape ; and that when
[1 Super animre statu

mcmini vestrce quoestiuncula) ; imo maximo
ecclesiasticce qucestionis : Utrum lapsa de coelo sit,ut Pythagoras phi-

losophus, omnesquo Platonici et Origines putant; an a propria Dei
substantia, ut Stoici, Manichteus, et Hispana Priscilliani hreresis sus-
picantur ; an in thesauro habeantur Dei, olim conditai, ut quidem ec-
confidunt ; an quotidie a Deo fiant, et

clesiastici stulta persuasiono
mittantur in corpora, secundum illud quod evangelio scriptum est,
Pater mens usque modo opcratur, et ego operor ; an certo ex traduce,
ut TertuUianus, ApoUinaris, ct maxima pars Occidentalium autumant;

ex nascatur ex anima, et simili
ut quomodo corpus corporo, sic anima
cum brutis
animantibus conditionc subsistat. " Hieron. Epist. 78. (al.
82.)ad Marcellin. et Anapsych. 0pp. Tom. iv. Pars 2. col. G42. Par.
170G.]
X.] OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAN. 375
fashioned,the soulis created and poured into it2." Where-

upon
St Hierome also to Pammachius, disputingagainst the
f errors of John, bishop of Ilierusalem,after he had rehearsed

divers opinions touching the originalof the soul, he saith:
"
Whether truly God createth souls daily,in whom his will
is his work, and never ceaseth to be a creator of them ?
Which is an ecclesiastical opinion,according to the opinion of
our Saviour, The Father worketh hitherto,and I work ;
and according to that of Esay, Which formeth the spiritof
man in him ; and in the Psalms, Which fashioneth their
hearts in every one of them^" Thus far ho.
The scripturetruly in express words doth teach, that the
soul hath not originalout of earth, neither that itis created
before the body ; but it proceedeth out of the mouth of the
Creator, to wit, from the secret power of God, and that itis
poured into the body when itisfashioned. For Moses, describ-
ing
the creationof God our Father*, doth first make mention,
that the body of Adam was fashioned and made, and that
afterwards the spiritof lifewas breathed into his body being
perfectlymade and fashioned. The Lord God," saith he, [Gen.n. 7]
"
"
made man of the clay of the earth, and breathed upon his
face or intohis nostrils the breath of life,
and man was made
a living
soul." For the breath of lifedoth signifythe living
and reasonable soul,that is to say, the soul of man, which
thou seest breathed or poured into the body when it isfash-ioned.
And when the same Lord created the woman of
Adam''s rib,he took not lifefrom Adam, or out of his soul,
and put itintoEve, but of his goodness and power he poured
the same into her body when it was perfectlymade. And
[2Sed dicimus creationem animse solum creatorem omnium nosse,
et corpus tantum per conjugiicopulam seminari, Dei vero judiciocoa-
gulari in vulva et compingi atque formari, ac formate jam corpore ani-

mam creari et infundi. "
August, de Eccles. Dogm. 0pp. Tom. iii. fol.
42. coll.3. 4. Par. 1532.]
[3An certe secundum eloquia Salvatoris,
(quodccclesiasticuraest
Pater usque modo operatur, et ego operor ; et illudIsaise,Qui format
spiritum hominis in ipso ; et in Psalmis, Qui fingitper singuloscorda
Deus fabricatur animas fecisseest, et
eorum;)quotidie :
cujusvelle
conditor esse non cessat ? "
Hieron. ad Pammach. adv. eiTor. Johan.
Jeros. Ep. 38. 0pp. Tom. iv. Pars 2. fol. 318.]
[4Formationem patris nostri, Lat. ; rather, the creation of our
father, i.e. Adam God, is the translator's

addition.]
that we otherwise created of the Lord at this day,

arc no
than that the soul may be poured into the body when it is
jobx. fashioned, Job is a witness sufficient,saying: "Thy hands,
0 God, have and fashioned me
made me round about.
Hast thou not poured me as it were milk, and turned me to
curds like cheese? Thou hast covered me with skin and

flesh,and joinedme together with bones and sinews." Lo,
thou hast here in these words both the conception and also
the fashioning of man's body in his mother's womb most ex-
cellentl
described. And touching the soul, it followeth in
Job immediately :
"
Thou hast given me life and grace, and
thy visitation hath preserved my spirit." Behold, "
life,"
that is, the soul, is by God poured into the body after it is
shapen.
"
Thou hast given me life,"saith he, " and grace."
He grace or mercy
addeth to hfe : for it is a marvel the
is wrapped
child should live in the mother's womb, seeing it
within so many coverings ; therefore a singular benefit of the
mercy of God sheweth itselfin this. But it followeth by
of interpretation : thy visitation,"that is, thy

And
"
way
providence and preservation, hath kept or preserved my
"
spirit." For now he calleth that spirit,"which firsthe had

"
called life;" that is to say, the soul. Wherefore we rightly

"
hold and according to the scriptures, that the souls of men

are created of God, and poured into the bodies when they
be already fashioned in the womb ; though we touch not every
pomt and particular matter of this cause, and (asthe saying
is)hit the nail on the head.
The opera- Now it rcstcth to SCO what the soul worketh in the body "
tions and "
"^^"* ^^" comprehended that briefly in the description,

the^Toi.r'' the body, it giveth hfe to
saying that, being joinedto man
and directeth him. For

the reasonable soul comprehendeth
the powers vegetative and sensitive,and thereby it giveth life
to the body. Moreover the soul hath two parts, distinguished
in offices,not in substance; namely, Understanding and Will;
and thereby it directeth man. For by the understanding,
which is called both the mind and reason, it conceiveth,

judgeth,
and knoweth
things that are to be understood, and
discerneth what to follow and what to avoid. But by will
or
appetite he chooseth that which he knoweth, following one
thing and refusing another. Which things again stretch
very far. Therefore I will handle every part more largely.
X.]
First of all " the soul by his presence giveth lifeto this put "f the
mortal and earthly body ;

it knittcth it together, and with a ^,'|';
it, and suffereth it not to grow ^""""^"
wonderful embracing kecpcth
out of order or pine away ;
it equally distributeth the food
throughout the members, giving to every one sufficient; it
prcserveth a comely
form and measure therein not only in
beauty, but also in making and growth. But all these things
to plants, as well as to man : for we
may seem also common
live ; and that every one
see and confess, that they also of
them is preserved in his kind, nourished, increased, and
eno-endered. Therefore let us see what the soul is able to

do, and what it worketh in the senses, where a more perfect
is The itself in the
view of life perceived. soul sheweth
sense of feeling, and thereby
knoweth and discerneth the
things that are hot, cold, rough, smooth, hard, soft, light,
and heavy. JNIoreover, the soul determineth the innumerable

differences of tastes, sounds, and shapes, by the senses
savours,
And
of tasting, smelling, hearing, and seeing. among all
these things it chooseth and coveteth those things which are
it is joined,
according to the nature of the body whereunto
and refuseth and shunneth the contrary ; and also consenteth
but to the cherishing,
not only to the procreation of children,
defending, nourishing, and preserving of them. But all these
thino-s ao-ain no man denieth but the lifewhich is in beasts

do also. Let us therefore consider what is the proper
may
force of the soul of man. And here weigh with me the
wonderful of understanding and reasoning, and not a

power
common as is in brute beasts, but a remembrance of
memory
innumerable things commended unto us, and kept in mind by
signs and deep consideration; consider with me so many

devices of craftsmen, tillingof lands, building of cities,manifold
devices ; the inventions
wonderfulness of sundry buildings and
of so many forms in letters,in words, in gesture, in sound,
in pictures, and feigned shews ; so many tongues of nations,
so many things ordained, so many new things, so many
things reformed ; such a number of books, and of such like
for the maintenance as having a care
monuments of memory,
of them which come after ; the orders of offices, powers,
honours and dignities, either in families,or in the common
in either in profane in holy matters.
weal in peace or war, or
Weigh with me the marvellous force and virtue of devising

378 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SBRM.
the rivers of eloquence, the variety of verses in poetry, a

thousand-fokl devices and merriments to move pleasure and
pastime, skilfulnessin playing on instruments and in singing,
cunning in measuring, readiness in numbering, conjecturing
of things past and things to come by things present ^"
These verily are great powers or operations in the soul
but they are common to the good and bad. There-
fore
of man,
the true goodness and praise, which riseth from the
powers of the soul unto man, aud which are found in the
godly only, do follow. The soul is bold to prefer itself

before the whole body, and to think that the goods of the
body are not his, but rather to despise them ; and thereby
how much the more he delighteth himself, so much the more
he withdraweth and cleanseth himself
himself from filthiness,
{} Corpus hoc terrenum atque mortale prsesentia sua vivificat (an-

ima),colligitin unum atque in uno tenet ; diffluei'oatque contabescero
non sinit; alimenta per membra fcqualiter, suis quibusque redditis,
distribui facit ; congruentiam conservat, non tantum
ejusmodumque
in pulchritudinc, sed etiam in crescendo atque gignendo. Sed hsec
omnia homini etiam cum arbustis communia videri quount : htec enim
ctiam dicimus vivere, in suo vero quidque illorum genere custodiri,
ali, crescere, gigncre videmus atque fatemur Intendit se anima in , . .
tactum, et eo calida, frigida, aspera, lenia, dura, moUia, levia, gravia,

sentit atque discernit. Deinde innumerabiles difFerentias saporum,
odorum, sonorum, formarum, gustando, olfaciendo, audiendo, riden-

doque dijudicat.Atque in his omnibus ea qua) secundum naturam
sui corporis sunt asciscit atque appetit, rcjicit fugitque contraria : . . .
foetibus quoque non jam gignendis tantummodo, sed etiam fovendis,
alendis, atque conservandis conspirat . . .

Sed ha3c rursus omnia posse
animam etiam in bestiis nemo negat . . .
Cogita memoriam non consue-
tudine inolitarum, sed animadversiono atque signis commendatarum

ac retentarum rerum innumerabilium ; tot artes opificum, agrorum
cultus, cxtructiones urbium, vai-iorum ccdificiorum ac moliminum
multimoda ; inventiones tot signorum in literis, in verbis, in
miracula
gestu, in hujuscemodi sono,in picturis atque figmentis; tot gentium
linguas, tot instituta, tot nova, tot instaurata, tantum librorum nu-
raerum et hujusmodi monumentorum ad custodiendam memoriam,

tanquam curam honorum, digni-
posteritatis ; officiorum, potestatum,
tatumquo ordines, sive in familiis, sive domi militipcquo in republica,
sive in projihanis, sive in sacris apparatibus ; vim ratiocinandi ct cx-
cogitandi fluvios eloquentisc, canninum varietates, ludendi ac jocandi

causa milleformcs simulationes, modulandi peritiam, dimetiendi subti-
litatem, numerandi disciplinam, pra^teritorum ac futui'orum ex prai-
sentibus conjecturam. " August, de Quant. Anima). cap. 33. 0pp. Tom.
I. fol. 130. coll. 1, 2. Par. 1532.]
OF THE REASONABLE SOUL OF MAX. 379
X.]
wholly by faithand the Holy Ghost, and strcngthenoth himself

against all things which go about to put hiin by from his
good intent, and maketh great account of fellowship or
society, loveth men tenderly, and willeth nothing to another
which he would not have happen to himself. For ho foUow-
eth the word or doctrine of God, and believeth that by this

God speaketh unto him: he is joined by the Holy Ghost and
faith with God himself, in whom he dehghteth and liveth in
true felicity,bringing forth all kind of virtues. In this so
excellent a study of the soul there is yet great labour. For
the soul fighteth fiercelywith the world and the flesh,and is
never safe and at rest from the assaults or invasions of Satan :
but being strengthened by the Lord, he goeth away with
notable victories and triumphs. The souls therefore (I mean,
of saints and holy men) work all manner of holy works ; for
the souls of the wicked commit heinous sins of all sorts.
There many other operations of souls, which I
are cease to
rehearse, lest I should be longer than were meet.

Hitherto I have entreated of the soul of man yet as
to the body:
joined in which discourse the wonderful goodness
of God appeareth, the most bountiful Creator of the soul,yea,
of the whole man ; from whose grace we worthily account it
received, whatsoever praise is given to the soul. Now I will
speak of the soul separated from the body.

The soul, being separated from the body, ceaseth not toofthesoui
be that which it was ; but, the body being dead, the soul from the
abideth alive in his altogether immortal, and

own essence,
void of all corruption. For the death of man is not the
extinguishing or destruction of the soul, but only a separa-

tion
or departure from the body. Thou
candle out takest a
of lantern
a ; thou hast taken the light from the lantern, but
thou hast not put out the candle. The lantern truly, because
the candle is taken away, remaineth full of darkness ; but the
candle feeleth so littlehurt by removing of it, that, being
taken away from the lantern, it then shineth more clearly,
and casteth forth the beams of his light more at large. So
truly the soul, being separated from his earthly or slimy
body, doth so littlefeel any discommodity, that, being de-
livered
from the trouble and burden it liveth
of the body,
liberty, and worketh
more at more effectually. But the Thesouiia
""""'
common sort understand not this. They see the body only
among the dead, spoiledof the soul ; and because thiswanteth

all feeling and moving, yea, and rotteth away, they think
that the whole man perisheth. Neither is the world without
some shameless and ungodly wretches who have in their
mouth, that no man ever returned from death or from below,
who by his return proved that the souls remain alive when
the body is dead. But maliciously they lie,dissembhng that
they know not that which certainly they know. For who
knoweth not that Christ the Son of God
died, and was buried,
and the third day was raised again from the dead, the very
self-same soul returning into his body, which before death
gave his body life and ruled it? Who knoweth not that
Christ with his true body and with his reasonable and natural '
soul ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the riffhthand of

the Father, that he, laying down there as it were a most
assured pledge, might testifyunto the whole world that both
our own proper souls and our own proper bodies shall one
day be translated thither ? Who knoweth not that so many
which were dead, being raised from death life,received

to
not new souls, but those their old souls ? Which should not
have come to pass, if by the death of the body the souls of
men were
extinguished.
Of the death They that the scripture itselfmaketh mention of
objoct,
the death of the soul, I confess no less indeed. For the soul
of man is both mortal and immortal, after a certain manner
of his own. For the soul is not all manner of ways immortal
1 Tim.i. as God is,of whom it is said that he only hath immortaUty.
" vi,
And truly the death of the soul in the holy scripture is to be
remembered ; but the same is referred to the state and con-
dition,
not to the substance, of the soul. For if God be the
lifeof the soul, surely to be forsaken of God, and to be left
unto thyself, is the death of the soul. But nevertheless the
reasonable soul liveth in his proper essence or being, so that,
when it liveth miserably, a miserable life is in very deed
called death. But desperation also is the very death of the

soul ; for by hope we live : and Paul saith, " I live, yet
not I, but Christ liveth in me ; and the life which I now live
in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God." Therefore
they that are destitute of faith are dead, and they that have
faith Uve. St Augustine, cap. 10, De Fide et Symbolo, saith :
\}genuina, Lat.]
X,]
'*
The it may be called corruptible by reason
soul, as of sin
and wickedness, so it may be called mortal. For the death
of the soul is the revolting or fallingfrom God ; which first

sin of the soul was committed in paradise, as is declared in
2." Augustine again. Lib.
the holy scriptures And the same
de Trinitate, 14, cap. 4, saith : "
The soul also hath his death,
when it lacketh a blessed life,which is to be named the true

life of the soul. But for this cause it is called immortal, for
that, whatsoever lifeit liveth,yea, though it be most miserable,
yet it never ceaseth to live^." We therefore freely confess,
that the souls of men, separated or taken out of their bodies,do
not die, but live immortal for ever ; the faithfulin everlasting
joy and felicity,but the unbelievers in eternal damnation.
Which thing I will now go on to confirm by some sub- Jffh^j"4ô
stantial testimonies of scripture. But first take this with souh."^
you, that testimonies of scripture in this case are far more
lively than man's reasons framed out of philosophy. For

these testimonies are fetched from
very mouth of the the
living God himself, which preserveth us in life; who, since he
is true, cannot lie,and who, since he giveth life and is life
itself,is able to witness most certainly above all other touching
life. iS'either is it doubtful that the Spirit of God worketh
jointly with the word of God ; of whom unless the hearts of
men be touched, the reasons of philosophy, how manifest soever
they be, shall prevail nothing, especially in the danger of
death and in other temptations. They are fleshly therefore
and brutish altogether, which are not ashamed to say, That

they cannot be persuaded or brought to believe the immor-tality
of souls by the scriptures only. Nay, which is more ;
that shall never be stedfast and stable in temptations, which
shall proceed from flesh and blood. AVe will therefore add
some certain testimonies,and those too most manifest.
David, the most puissant and happiest king in the world,
[2 Potest enim et anima, sicut corruptibilis propter morum vitia,

ita etiam mortalis dici. Mors quippe animse est apostatare a Deo,
quod primum peccatum in paradiso sacris Uteris continetur.

ejus "
August, de Fide et Symb. cap. 10. 0pp. Tom. iii. fol. 32. col. 3. Par.
1532. "
Works of Coverdale, ed. P. S. Remains, p. 201.]
[3Habet quippe et anima mortem vita beata caret,
suam, cum
quse vera animse vita dicenda

est. Sed immortalis
ideo nuncupatur,
quoniam qualicunque vita, etiam si miserrima est, nunquara desinit
vivere. " Id. de Trin. Lib. xiv. cap. 4. 0pp. Tom. iii. fol. 91. col. 2.]
comprising in one verse both the immortality of souls and

Psai.xvi. the resurrection of bodies, saitli: "Thou, O Lord, shalt not
leave my soul in hell : neither shalt thou sutler thine Holy one
to see corruption." Man consistethof body and soul. The
body rotteth away when it is dead, and is turned into dust ;
but it shall not therefore perish : for as the body of Christ
which was buried did not rot, but rose
again the third day ;
so in the day of judgment shall our bodies be raised up,
and by Christ be delivered from corruption. And our soul

^
goeth not into hell there to remain ; but as thesoul of
Christ returned from the nether parts unto his body, and
ascended into heaven in his body which he had taken
again ; even so shall our souls also live by Christ, they shall
not die.
Salomon, the of David, excellingall kings and mortal
son
men in wisdom, in one verse likewise expounding the provi-

Eccics. xii. dence of God touching the soul and the body, saith : The "
dust shall be turned again unto earth, from whence it came ;
and the spiritshall return unto God, who gave it." Salomon
calleth man's body dust, because it is said in Moses that God

made it of the dust of the earth. Therefore the body turneth
again unto dust ; for it putrcfieth and is resolved into that
which firstit was, even until the judgment-day, as the Lord
Gen.iii.
saith : "For dust thou art, and into dust shalt thou be
turned again." But the spu'it,that is to say, the reasonable
soul, dieth not with the body : it is not resolved into dust,
because it is not taken out of the dust ; neither is it scattered
into the air, because it doth not consist of air ; but returneth
alive from death unto God. And therefore it returneth unto
God, because God gave the soul, and after a singular manner
made man after his own likeness and image, breathing into his
face the spiritof life, of lifeI say, that is,of lively power,
"
not the spirit of death. Therefore the soul cannot perish,

because it receiveth immortality from God ; who, since he
is life,is able to preserve that breath of lifewhich he hath
made.
The Jesus, the true and very Son of God, the life
Lord
and resurrection of the faithful,saith plainly in the gospel :
Matt. X.
"
Fear (ye)not them which kill the body, but are not able
to killthe soul ; but rather fear him which is able to destroy
[1 there to remain; not in Lat.]
X.]
being slain
both and soul in hell." If when the body
body
by tyrants the soul is not killed,then it remaineth alive after
the body is destroyed ; and so assuredly it remaineth, that,
be cast of the most just
having put off the body, it should
God into hell, there everlastingly to burn for his unfaithful-
ness.
"
For in the same gospel the Lord saith again, Who- Matt.xv.
soever will save his life shall lose it :" again, ** whosoever
find it." For not he only
will lose his hfe for my sake, shall
loseth his life or soul, which bridleth it from the pleasures
but he also who
of the world and Hveth most temperately ;
to be slain
offercth himself into the bloody hands of tyrants
for the confession of christian faith. And he findeth his life
or soul which he lost. Therefore the souls of men, even
immortal.
after the death of the body, remain alive and
In the gospel according to St John the Lord saith :
"Verily, verily, I say unto you. He that heareth my -word, John v.
hath everlasting hfe, and

and believeth on him that sent me,
into judgment; but is escaped from death
shall not come
unto life." Thou hast in these words of the
Lord the death
he witnesseth, that we
of the body. But forthwith afterward
"
escape unto hfe :" therefore men's souls remain alive after
death. For now he
speaketh nothing of the raising again
or of the salvation of the body, but of the hfe of the soul
after death. In the same gospel the Lord saith again :
"
Yerily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, johnviii.
he shall never see death." But it is evident that all menneb.ix.
are ordained once to die, namely, with bodily death : there-
fore
For it
soul liveth after the death of the body.
the
must needs be that a faithful man shall never see or feel
death, unless he told a he who affirmeth with an oath that
which he spake. For in every other place ^ he addeth an
oath, saying,
"
Verily, I say unto you ;" that we should not
doubt of the immortality of souls. There are very many
testimonies, and those most evident, of Christ the Son of God
in the same gospel, as in the sixth and eleventh chapters : to
which we will join one or two out of the writings of the
blessed apostles of Christ.
St Peter, speaking of the souls of the fathers which were i Pet iv.
dead a great while ago, saith, that " the gospel was preached
also to the dead, that they should be judged like other men
[2 utrobique; Lat. in both
places.]
in the flesh, but should Hve before God' in the spirit."

Spirits are souls of the blessed fathers, vrhose bodies being
buried a great while ago do wait for the universal sentence
of that general and last judgment: that is, that their flesh
may be raised up again and be judged with other men in
the last day ; but in the meanwhile their souls live with God.
So that men's souls are ahve, though their bodies were rotten
a great while ago.
St Paul in his epistle to Timothy saith, that life and
immortality is made manifest and brought by Christ^. The
same Paul
everywhere doth so plainly avouch the immortality
of souls, that he must needs be blind which seeth it not.

St John, the apostle and evangelist, saw under the altar in
heaven (thatis, under the protection of Christ who is the
sacrificeand propitiation for the sins of the world)living souls
lying and crying : How long tarriest thou, Lord, to revenge
"
our blood ?" He saw them clothed with white garments, and
rest. But these souls were the souls of
enjoyingeverlasting
the martyrs of Christ, whose bodies died, being murdered on
the earth under tyrants and persecutors of the christian faith.

Therefore the souls of men are immortal.
Most true
therefore, yea, and undoubted, are those words
which are read in the book of Wisdom, uttered in this manner:

"
The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there
shall no torment In the sight of the unwise they

touch them.
appeared to die, and their end is taken for a misery, and their
departing from us to be utter destruction ; but they are in rest.
For though suff'erpain before men,
they yet is their hope
full of immortality. They are punished but in few things ;
nevertheless in many things shall they be well rewarded. For

God proveth them, and findeth them meet for himself. As
gold in the furnace doth he try them, and receiveth them as

a burnt-offering: and when the time cometh, they shall be
looked upon. They shall shine and run through, as the
sparkles among the stubble. They shall judge the nations,
and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign
for ever."
Wherefore most truly and according to the canonical
[1 juxtaDeum ; Lat. and Erasmus.]

[2 manifeste vitam et immortalitatem per Christum esse repa-
ratam ; Lat.]
X.]
scripture do the ecclesiasticaldofmitions pronounce, cap. IG:

We believe that man only hath a substantial soul, which,
"
having put off the body, livetliand keepeth his senses and
dispositionlively. It doth not die with the body, as Aratus
affirmcth ; nor a littlewhile after, as Zenon saith ; because

it livcth substantially. But the souls of beasts and other
mortal creatures are not substantial,but are born with their

flesh through the life of their flesh, and with the death of
their flesh are at an end and do die^."
Furthermore, that truth touchintj the immortality of souls,ah wise men '
o
t/ liavc thought
as it were by the law of nature, is written and imprinted in
|[;;','"""
the minds of all men. Whereupon itis no marvel that all the
wise men among the Gentiles could never abide that the soul
should be called mortal. For the consent of all, which is
thought the voice of nature, speciallyof the chiefest,declareth
that souls are immortal. And M. Tully also affirmeth that,
saying: "As by nature we think there are Gods, and by reason
we know what they be, so we hold opinion with the consent of
allnations, that souls do stillcontinue'*." All the ancient writers

therefore, and all that followed them, have said that souls are
everlasting or immortal ; as Trismegistus, Museus, Orpheus,
Ilomerus, Pindarus, and Pherecydes the Syrian, the master
of Pythagoras ^ and his scholar Socrates. Plato himself, who

to learn the opinions of Pythagoras sailed into Italy ^, was not
only of the same opinion that Pythagoras was of, touching

the immortality of souls, but brought reasons also to confirm
the same. These reasons, as Tully witnesseth, are
many, that
he which readeth his book cannot seem to desire any thing
further ^ Seneca so plainly affirmeth and proveth the immor-
tality
^.
of souls, that nothing can be more plain And Epicte-
[3Solum hominem credimus habere animam substantivam, qu"e

exuta corpora vivit, et sensus suos atquo ingenia vivaciter tenet.
Non cum corpore moritur, sicut Aratus asserit ; neque post modicum
intervallum, sicut Zenon dicit ; quia substantialiter vivit. Animalium
vero animse non sunt substantivse, sed cum carne ipsa carnis vivacitate
nascuntur, et cum carnis morte finiuntur et moriuntur. August,
"
de
Eccles. Dogm. 16. 0pp. Tom. iii. fol. 42. col. 4. Par. 1532.]
[4 Cic. Tusc. QuGcst.Lib. i. cap. 16.]
[5Id. ibid.] [6 Id. ibid. cap. 17.]
[7 Tot autem
rationcs attulit (Plato),
ut velle ceteris, sibi certo
persuasisse videatur. Cic. ibid. cap."
21.]
[8 Senec. Epist. 117.]
25
[bullinger,
III.]
tus, a philosopher, who lived in the time of Seneca,

famous
hath done no less^ If as yet tlicre be any light-headed men
to -whom the immortaUty of the soul seemeth doubtful, or
Tvhich utterly deny the same, these truly are unworthy to have
the name of men for they
; are plagues of the common-
wealth,
and A'ery beasts, worthy to be hissed and driven out
of the company of men. For he lacketh

bridle to restrain
a
him, and hath cast away all honesty and shame, and isprepared
in all points to commit any mischief, whosoever beUeveth that
the soul of man is mortal.
In what place I sliewcd that souls^ bv death being: separated from their
souls live T 1 T 1 " " .
when they bodies do not dio, but remam alive: it resteth now behind
are separated
from theii
bodies
îi^tJ teach you, where the souls,when they are destituteof the
dwelling-place, their bodies, lead their lifeand are conversant.
While
they were coupled to the bodies, they used them
as their dwelling-houses ; so that, though they be said not to
be hmited in place, yet they do not wander out of their
bodies, but they are as it were
shut up in them as in prisons^,
until the time they be dissolved and set at hberty. Those
same souls therefore being now dissevered from their bodies,
since they retain their sound senses, their nature or tion,

disposi-
and their whole substance in lively manner, albeit they

are said, no, not even nowto be hmited in place,yet are they
not let loose and run astrav, bavins: theu' abiding:in no place:
but being compact and set fast in their own essence or being
are in some place again, having no new bodies, (forthe souls
are free even tillthe judgment-day,
when they shall be
to their bodies
joinedagain ;) howbeit certain abiding-places
are prepai*ed for them of God, wherein they may live. Al- though
other, by my lieve,very subtillyand wittilydo reason,
how spiritsare contained in place or not contained : I simply
affirm with the scripture, that souls separated from bodies

are taken up either into heaven itself,or else are drowned in
the depth of hell ; and that their being and abiding is even so
there, that when they are here they are not elsewhere. For
the Lord plainly and pithilysaith in the gospel, that the
most
soul of beggarly Lazarus was carried into Abraham's bosom,
and the soul of the rich glutton was cast down into hell. But
[1 Simplicii Comment, in Epicteti Encliirid. cap. 39.]

[2hominum, Lat. omitted; of men.]
[3 ergastulis,Lat.l
that more is,it forthwith followeth in the history: "Between

us and you" (forthe blessed and cursed souls talk together)
"there is a great gulf stedfastlyset; so that they which would
go from hence to you cannot, neither can they that would
come from thence to us." And Paul also desireth "to be dis- rhii. i.
solved, and to be with Christ." We are dissolved by death:

for when the soul departeth, the body is dissolved and dieth ;
the soul flieth unto Christ. But the scripture sheweth us
that Christ is in heaven at the right hand of the Father.
Now where heaven is, there is none but can tell; and we
elsewhere have largely entreated of that matter ^
In the gospel after St John the Lord himself calleth the
conversation^ of souls, which is prepared for the souls after

they are separated from the bodies, both a place and mansion,
and habitation or dwelling ; adding these words thereupon,
"I will receive you (even)unto myself, that where I am, johnxh
there may ye be also." And therefore St John saw souls Rov vi.
in heaven, abiding and taking their rest under the altar or
protection of Christ : for thither, when they departed from

their bodies, he had gathered them unto himself. Hereunto
belongeth that notable place of the apostle Paul, marvellous
fitfor this purpose, written in the second to the Corinthians [v.i.]
in these words : " We know that if our earthly house of this
tabernacle were destroyed, we have a building of God, even
an habitation not made with hands, but eternal in heaven," "c.

Lo, while our souls were joinedto our bodies, they inhabited
and dwelt in them as in their houses; but after our corruptible

house is destroyed, God hath builded another better and of
longer continuance, heaven I mean itself,into the which he
lovingly receiveth our souls departing out of our bodies. For
that manner body which we now have he calleth the house
of this tent or tabernacle. For as tents for

made a time are
of hght stuff, and pitched without any strong foundation,

and a while after are pulled down, or do fall of their own
accord ; so a mortal body is given to men as a ruinous
cottage, wherein they inhabit a few days, and immediately
pack away again. St Peter used the like allegory. Against 2 Pet. i.
he opposeth a building of everlasting continuance,

this (tent)
heaven I mean itself:for when he had said that we have
[^ See Vol. I. page 145.]
[5 contubernium, Lat.]
25"2
"
a he addeth by interpretation,(even)
building of God," an
"
habitation not made Avith hands ;" and yet more plainly,
"eternal in heaven." Neither doth that which by and by fol-
lowcth hinder this, or import meaning :
"
for there-
fore
another
to be further clothed
sigh we, desiring (uponour clothing)
with our house which is from heaven.'" For
"
from heaven"
signifiethas much as if thou wouldcst say, heavenly. There-

fore
the of the soul is heavenly or heaven itself,a
house
The soul re-
place, I Say, appointed for blessed spirits. For verily the
the body, but faithful soul shall dwell in heaven even unto that day, "
not before _ .
judgment,
wherein the Lord shall judgethe world with that his general
judgment: then at the length the soul shall return to the
body again being raised up, that after judgmentthe whole
man, both soul and body, may live for ever with God. For
1 Thess. iv. thus witnesseth the apostle St Paul : The Lord himself shall "
descend from heaven in a shout, and in the voice of the
archangel, and in the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ

shall rise first: then we which live, which remain, shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the
Lord in the air ; and so shall we ever be with the Lord,"
namely, in the heavens which are above us where the clouds

are seen. Therefore, omitting vain speculationsand curious
disputations,let us believe that there is a house prepared by
the Lord for souls being separated from their
in heaven
bodies, into the which the faithful may be received ; and
again, that there is everlasting fire prepared, whereunto all

the souls of all infidelsor unbelievers may be cast.
How souls We have taught, that heavenis the seat or habitation
should be
i/./-ni "
ii' i/" i*
to
transi^fe'i
prepared of God to receive souls bemg separated from their
bodies. It rcmaineth behind, that we shew after what
pbce
manner and what time they should be translated thither after
death. Touching the manner, I can say nothing else but
that it is fully known unto God ; and that, so far forth as
seemeth sufficientfor us, it is shadowed out in the scriptures;
namely, that it is brought to pass by angels carrying up our
souls with a most swift flight or movino". For the Lord
saith in the gospel, that the soul of Lazarus was carried by

angels into Abraham's bosom : of which thing also we spake
before when we preached of God's angels'. But what man-
[1 do angelis bonis, Lat. ; oi" good angels, cd. 1577. See above,
p. 335.]
X.]
ner of moving this is, whether natural or supernatural, I
mean not to make search. I believe that Avhat God promiseth,
the same he performeth and accomplisheth ; and he
promising
saith, "He is passed from death to life." Again, he said to johnv.
the thief, "To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise," com- luRc xxiu.
prehending that his passage as it were in a moment. unto

Here-
also necessarily add this, that it must

we be attributed
to the merits of Christ that we are taken up into heaven ;
for he is the door and the way.
But at what time souls should be carried up into heaven, At what
^
,
.,,,
time souls be .
or cast down mto hell, seemeth to be a question at this '""'"'"'"''""'

"p
J- into heaven.
present not only profitable,but by all means necessary to be

discussed ; for in this our
age there are evil-disposed per-
sons
who have corrupted the pure simplicity of this matter.
For you shall find some will say, that the souls departing
from the bodies go not by and by the right and ready way
to heaven, but that, being as it were taken with a slumbering
lethargy, they sleep until the last day of judgment 2. You
shall find other some contending, that souls cannot come into
heaven unless they be perfectly purified with cleansing fire,
Avhich they call purgatory ; as though they were intercepted

by pirates and robbers in the midst of their journey,
and cast
into torments, until either they themselves make satisfaction,
or other for them paid as it were
have the debt which they
had elsewhere borrowed^. But both of these things do I
deny, and utterly deny : and I affirm that souls do not sleep,
neither are they purged by any torments after the death of
their body ; but are waking and alive,and are forthwith after
the death of the body, and even in a moment, either carried
into heaven, being freed from all kind of torments, or other-
wise
cast down into hell.
Thesesleepy-heads* have nothing to allege for this their souissepa-
lethargy or imagination of the sleep of the soul, but that the theh
boXs
scripture oftentimes, describing the death of the saints,maketh
mention of sleeping and laying to sleep; as, "he fell asleep,
and was gathered unto (or laid by) his fathers;" and Paul
P Bullinger. adv. Anabapt. Lib. iv. cap. 10.]

[3 Canones Concil. Trident. Sess. xxv. decret. de Purgatorio.]
["*
Dormitantii, Lat. See Jerome's pla^/ on Vigilantius' name. "
Hicron. 0pp. Tom. iv. Par. 11. pp. 280, "c. Par. 1706. and Gilly's Vi-
gilantius
and his times, pp. 349, 392. Lond. 1844.]

'
I would not have you

salth, speaking of those that die,
"
ignorant concerning them which are asleep." But even as
souls,when they were joinedto these frailbodies, never slept,

neither could sleep: so being delivered from the burden of the
body, they are much less to be thought to sleep. To the
body therefore is sleep to be referred. For whosoever dieth
in a true faith, he sleepeth in the Lord. And as they that
sleep, when their limbs are refreshed, do imme-

therewith diately
awake, rise, and labour ; even so the body is not

altogether extinguished by death, that it should not live
again any more, but now verily it is received into rest, and
at the day of judgmentit riseth again and liveth. And for
this cause holy men are said in the scriptures to sleep, not
to die, that thereby the mystery of the resurrection of our
flesh may be signified. Which thing these gross-headed men
understand not : whereupon they attribute that to the soul

Other arguments which they
which is proper to the body.
bring to confirm their madness are unworthy to be rehearsed :
for either they violently wrest the scripture from the natural
sense ; or else by their corrupt reasoning they gather false-
hood
out of those things that are false.
Souls spparat- But tlioy doand are
orr no less deceived than these
doctors, which think that souls departing from their
boiH^'^re^
not carried
sleepinc:
r O '
. .
intopurga- bodics go not by and by the right and ready way into
tory
heaven, but are caught in the midst of their journey, and
into that purgatory fire,wherein they may be purged
carried
from the filthy spots of sins which they have gotten in the
flesh ; and that after they be purged, they are carried by
For either
angels into the presence of the most holy God.
the souls are purged with that purgatory fire from the filth
of their sins, or else they are washed and cleansed through
the pain and grief of torments which there they do suff'er.
If sins be purged by virtue of that fire,then it followeth, that
sinners are not sanctifiedby the only blood of the Son of God.
But by what scriptures have they proved unto us that this
fire? Hath God altered his
power of purging is given to the
mind and purpose, and set this fire instead of Christ to work
our sanctification? Fie for shame ! But if for our suff'erings
and torments"' sake sins are forgiven, then it followeth that we
arc notpurged by the cross and passion of Christ only.
Let them teach us out of the scripture,that such worthiness is
OF THE REASONABLIi SOUL OF MAN. 391
X.]
attributed by God to our sufferings.But by the only blood and

passion of Christ all those arc sanctifiedthat be sanctified,who-
soever
they be. Therefore purgatory is a wicked device of the
devil,which darkeneth, yea, and maketh void the cross and merits
of Christ. For what other thing do they account purgatory
but a satisfactionfor sins made by the souls separated from
their bodies ? In the gospel of John there is a question moved souis are
^
by the disciplesof John the Baptist, touching the purifying
oniTwoJa
of souls ; and John Baptist declareth that the faithful are John iu.'
through Christ purifiedby faith; which thing he is believed to

have also by the holy baptism.
testified Moreover, the most
excellent apostles do expressly witness, that all the faithful

are cleansed by the only blood of Christ, and by his only
passion and most sufficientmerits. For Peter, who saith in
the Acts, "
Neither is there salvation in any other : for Acts k-.
among men there is given no other name under heaven

whereby we must be saved;" he, I say, hath written in his
firstcanonical epistle: "Ye know that you were not redeemed i ret.
with corruptible things, as with silver and gold, but with the
precious blood of the immaculate Lamb." John the apostle
The of Christ Jesus, the Son of God,
"
also saith : blood i joim i.
cleanseth us from all sin." And he again : " Christ loved us. Rev. i.
and washed us from our sins by his own blood." And Paul, Ephes. v.
both to the Ephesians and to Titus, sheweth that we are
purified by the only blood of the Son of God. Unto the

Hebrews he saith: By himself hath he purged our sins,and
"
Heb.i.
sitteth on of God in the highest places." It

the right hand
"
was not without significationthat he said, By himself,"
that he might thereby exclude all other means. For else-
where
he saith thus: "If righteousness come by the law, cai. n.
then Christ died in vain." For after the same manner we
also do reason : If we be cleansed by purgatory fire, then

in vain did Christ shed his blood to purge us ; for what
needed he to have suffered most grievous punishment, if we

could have been cleansed by purgatory fire? Moreover, the
whole scripture teacheth us, that Christ is our only satisfac-
tion
:
and propitiation which thing we have at large shewed
in other places ^ And therefore souls make no satisfactionin
purgatory, unless we will confess that men have no need
of Christ.
[1 See Vol. 1. pages 136, 167, Vol. n. page 200.]
S02 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM.
These do further feign, that the power to purge

men
is given to the fire of purgatory by grace, or by the blood

and merits of Christ, and that this fire purgeth not by his
own virtue, but by the power of the Son of God^. But they
have also forged this most wickedly. For the scripture in
every place (aswe also said even now) sendeth us back to

the Son of God and the price of his blood and cleansing,
whereof it teacheth that we are made partakers, while we live
in this world, by faith and the Holy Ghost: but of purgatory
it speaketh not a word in any place ; neither saith it in any
place that we by the grace of God are purged in another
world. Therefore they steal away the glory which is proper

unto the Son of God, and give it to a fire which is altogether
forged and blasphemous. Furthermore, they appoint another
time of grace out of this world, which is altogether strange
unto the scriptures. For our Lord crieth in the gospel ;
[John ix. ''
4.] I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day ;
the night cometh, when no man can work." And St Paul
Gai.vi. saith :
"
Let us do good," that is to say, let us be bountiful
while we have time." Which

"
and liberaltowards the poor,
saying he seemeth to have taken out of Solomon's book of
the clouds are full,they pour
"
Eccies. xi. the Preacher, saying ; When
out rain upon the earth : and when the tree falleth,whether
it be toward the south or north, in what place soever it fall,
there it remaineth." He useth two allegoriesor dark speeches,
by the which he teacheth the rich to be liberal. The firstis
taken from the clouds. The clouds from the earth do gather
up vapours, which being thickened are immediately, as out of
a sponge, pressed out and poured upon the earth to water it.
Let rich men do the like, distributingagain among men such
riches as they have gotten among men. The second is taken
of trees, which being felled lie in the same places in which
they fall. The wise man therefore warneth us to do that in
due season which we ought to do ; for when we are departed
from hence, there is no
place of repentance. And in the
gospel a tree is oftentimes put for a man; where also the
right hand is put for heaven or the place of blessedness, as the
left hand for hell or the place of damnation. Therefore this
ishis meaning : When thou art dead, thou shalt remain for ever
cither in damnation or blessedness. Men's testimonies are

[' Alexander de Hales. Sum. Theol. Par. iv. qucest. 8.]
X.]
agreeable to the heavenly. For St Cyprian against Dcmc-

When shall bo departed hence, there
"
trianus saith : we
is then no place of repentance, satisfaction is of no value.

Here lifeis either lost or gotten. Here is provision made for
eternal salvation, by the serving of God and the fruit of

faith2."
They that souls when they depart from the That souis
objectagain,
body are purged indeed by the blood of the Son of God, but by
ijj'j-ficd
not fully ; for there remains some filth to be washed away in ^''"''"
3.
purgatory For they depart out of this world not having a
full and perfect faith, and therefore they be not altogether
good : and again, since they have some faith, they be not al-
together
:
evil and because they are not perfectly good, they
cannot enter into heaven; again, since they are not altogether
evil, they cannot be damned : and therefore there reraaineth a
middle place, wherein they may be fully tried*, and at the
length being purified may be presented into the sight of God.
But these men after their manner feign what they list. But
we have by the holy scriptures, that the souls of the
shewed
faithful are purged by the only blood of the Son of God
through faith, and not by purgatory. Now will I also shew
in that which foUoweth, that the sins of all men are purified
fully,that is to say, most absolutely, by the only sacrifice of
Christ ; and further, that by the grace of God in the blood of
Christ is forgiven in the very instant of death whatsoever
infirmity and remnants of sin are behind in the souls of the
faithfuldeparting from the body. For the Lord saith in the
gospel, "He that is washed, needeth not save to wash his John xih.
feet, but is clean every whit." Behold he saith, "He is clean
every whit ;" that is, washed by the grace of Christ, so that
the foulness of the feet, that is to say, the infirmity and im-
perfection
which remaineth after regeneration, cannot bring

him again into the number of those that are unclean. For
the Lord saith again in the gospel, "And for their sakcs John xvh.
sanctify I myself, that they also might be sanctified through

the truth." The Lord gave up himself to be a sacrificefor
our sins, to the end that we might be sanctified,that is,

[3 Bellarmin. Controv. vi. Lib. I, cap. vii. col. 1358. Cranmer's
Remains, ed. Parker Soc. p.
181.]
["*
excoquantur, Lat.]
purged from our sins truly, that is to say, fullyand most per-
Hcb. X. fectly. For Paul saith, For with one offeringhath he made
"
perfect for ever them that are sanctified." Mark, I pray you,
the apostle'swords: "Christ with one oblation" (lo, he saith,
with one)"hath perfectly sanctified all that are sanctified,"

and are made heirs of eternal life. Hereupon we gather : If by
the one sacrificeof Christ once offered for us all souls are
purified,and that indeed perfectly purified,so that there is
nothing wanting to their purifying ; what, I pray you, findeth
purgatory to purify ? Therefore
shameless forgery it is a
and horrible blasphemy against the merit of the purifying of

Jesus Christ the Son of God. If there seem any thing to
be diminished or wanting unto the soul now departing, Christ
by his grace performeth and maketh it up whilst it is yet in
the world. It is a wicked speech and unworthy to be heard
among christian people, that by our sufferings in purgatory

that is fulfilled
which yet fully satisfied^with the
was not as
blood and passion of Christ : as if our were

suflferings better
and more effectual than the passion of the Son of God.
These men the weakness of faithin them that
unto us
object
die : and we on the other side unto them the mercy of
object
Markix. God, fully pardouing his faithful people. The father of the
lunatic mentioned in the gospel, requiring help of the Lord,
heareth : "If thou canst believe" (towit, that I am able to
heal thy things are possible to him that believeth."
son),"all
And albeit he felt his faith not altogether perfect, but that
therein remained much weakness, yet the help of God was
not hindered by the
weakness thereof: for because he
humbly submitted himself unto the mercy of the Lord, be-
seeching
and saying, "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief;"
the Lord by and by succoured him, and without delay
healed his son. So there is no
doubt that the most merciful
Lord will fail his faithful people, to whom he hath promised
most full forgiveness, acknowledging their weakness in the
hour of death, and therefore also calling for the mercy of
God but that upon the instant of the going out of the soul
;
he forthwith perfectly sanctifiethit with his Spirit for Christ''s
sake, and bcautifieth it with all kind of graces, that, being

truly purged from all the filth of sins, it may flee up, and
deserve to appear in the presence of God. And this should
[1 expiatiim, Lat.]
X.]
be beaten into the heads of them that are a dying. For
there are extant largo promises of God; there arc extant
most
examples of many holy men dying and calling upon God.
Furthermore it is certain by those things which we have
already alleged, that the death of Christ hath made full satis-
faction
for sins ; so that now there remaineth nothing further
to be cleansed with the fire of purgatory. Souls, after the
death of the body, do flee the right and ready way into
heaven, taking nothing away with them which needeth purg-ing.
Therefore that fire of purgatory is nothing else in very
deed than a trafiic or merchandise of most covetous men,
whereby craftilyand cunningly they purge the purses, not

the souls, both of rich and poor^.
These men by and by under-prop their purgatory build-
ing,
" which is a fallino;,

O' with two posts.
r
The firstis this : Theyd or pmyer
for the dead.
of old (saythey)prayed for the salvation of souls separated

from the body ; therefore there is a purgatory. For since in
heaven they haveneed of prayers; surely in helP prayers
no
do no good, since in hell is no redemption ; truly there is a
middle place left wherein souls are kept, unto whom the
prayers of the living do good : that place is purgatory*. Thus
indeed they howbeit imagining all things of their own
reason,
heads, without the authority of the scriptures. But this is that

they have to say, that they of old prayed for the dead. I
know what Augustine, that famous doctor of the church, what
Chrysostom, that golden-mouthed man, and other ancient and
notable men have left written touching this matter. But I
ask the question. Whether that which they did were well
done? For not all things which the holy fathers said and
did (who oftentimes have suffered something of man's inven-
tion)
are absolutely to be allowed or followed. Those things
are not be allowed and followed, which are set down by
to
them against the decrees of the scripture, (whichthing they
themselves unfeignedly but those things only which
confess^;)
[2Tyndale's Exposit. ed. Parker Soc. pp. 161-163. Answer to More,
p. 146. Doctr. Treat, pp. 244, 303, 318. Sermons of Latimer, p. 50.]
p ex inferis, Lat.j
[4 Thomas Aquinas contra Gentiles. Lib. iv. cap. 91. Bellarmin.

disput. de Controversiis, Lib. i. cap. 5. Controv. vi.]
[5 See Confutation of Unwritten Verities. Cranmer's Remains, "c.
ed. Parker Soc. chap. ir. pp. 22-36.]
are uttered and confirmed by the authority of holy scriptures,

which largely and plainly contain whatsoever is necessary to
be known in the doctrine of godliness. But thou canst find
nothing in them of prayer for the dead. For that which
some allege out of the second book of Maccabees proveth
nothing ; for that book is not canonical : which thing it be-
hoved
them to have
learned long since even out of Hierome ^
They add, That prayer for the dead is an
unwritten tra-
dition
2.
of the apostles I hear them; but I know well enouo-h
that the unwritten traditions of the apostles are not contrary
to their written doctrines. I know well enough that the
written doctrines of the apostles no where command prayers
for the dead, and in no place allow them. When Paul the
apostle exhorted the Thessalonians to moderation in lamenting
for the dead^, the time being then
iThess.iv.
very fitand most con-
venient
to give commandment
concerning off'eringof prayers
for the souls of the dead, if he had thought them any
whit
profitableand necessary ; yet notwithstanding he maketh no
manner mention of them, yea rather, he simply teacheth what

they ought to believe touching the souls of the faithful
being separated from their bodies, namely, that they live in
everlasting blessedness with Christ, waiting and looking for
the resurrection of their bodies'*. But who cannot see that
this certainty and plainness of the apostle's doctrine is en-
tangled
and perilously shaken with this feigned apostolic
tradition? For if we believe in Christ, let us believe his
"words and promises. He himself said that he is the resurrec-
tion
and life of the faithful, and that the souls of the believing
even immediately upon the death of the body do
escape and pass into life. If (I we believe these most
say)
true words of the Lord, why then do we, as yet being careful
for the salvation of the souls of the dead, pray and make
[1 Machabseorum libros legit quidem ccclesia, scd inter canonicas

scripturas non recipit. Hieron.
"
Preef. in Prov. Solom. 0pp. Tom. i.
fol. 939. Par. 1693. See also Bp. Cosin's Scholast. Hist, of Canon of
Script. Chap. VI. " 71. p. 72. Lond, 1683. Fulke's Defence, "c. ed.
Parker Soc. p. 24. Remains of Abp. Grindal, p. 23.]
[2Bellarmin. Controv. i. Lib. iv. cap. 7. col. 164. Controv. vi.
Lib. II. cap. 16. col. 1404. Jewel's Defence of Apology, ed, Parker
Soc. p. 559.]
[3 mortem suorum, Lat. ; the death of their brethren.]
[" Cf. Sermons of Abp. Sandys, ed. Parker Soc. p.
163.]
X.]
supplication for them, as though they had not yet obtained

salvation ? By these our prayers truly
manifest we give a
doubt of hope faith, and

not after that, as
proof that we our
souls, which we do both pro-

fess
concerning the salvation of our
Christ and the
with tongue, and which also the words of
us to hope after. The stedfast faith truly
apostles command
believe and stay themselves
and assured hope of those that
upon the promises of
Christ do forbid us here to take and
wear black mourning-garments in offerings for the dead, whose
souls we believe to have already put on white garments :

they forbid us to give occasion either to unbelievers, or to
because we
weaklings in faith, of reprehending us worthily,
mourn
and lament for them who we say do live with God,
as if they were and busily set ourselves
cast into hell-fire^,
God to deliver the
awork with making humble prayers unto
is to say, because the
miserable souls out of torments ; that
faith, which we profess with tongue and voice, we condemn
by the testimony of our heart and mind, yea, and of our
outward works. If we go on after this sort, truly we arc
double-dealers in our hope and in our faith. The things

to be dissembled, false,and feigned.
which we speak seem
For it availeth nothing in words to vaunt of virtue, and
Therefore let him that will
with deeds to destroy truth.
receive this tradition (as they call it)of the apostles,touch-
ino- the offering of prayers for the faithful departed : as for
me, I mean to receive nothing repugnant to true faith and
disagreeing from the apostles' doctrine, neither do I persuade

any man to
receive such vanity.
This also I cannot choose but tellyou, that that which they
St Augustine calleth the tra-dition
call the tradition of the apostles
For in his
of the fathers received of the church. sermon,
de verbis Apostoli, 32, he saith: "This which the fathers livered

de-
the whole church observeth; to wit, that prayers should
be made for them in the communion of the body and blood of
Christ, when they in their own place are rehearsed at the
is mentioned to be offered for
very sacrifice,and the same
them also^." And again, de Cura i^ro Mortuis gerenda, cap. 4,
[s in ignes, Lat. ; hell, not in Lat.]

[6 Hoc enim a patribus traditum universa observat ecclesia, ut pro
defuncti
eis qui in corporis et sanguinis Clunsti communione sunt, cum
illis
ad ipsum sacrificium loco suo commemorantur, oretur, ac pro
he saith :
*'
Supplications or prayers for the souls of the
dead are not to be neglected, Avliichthe church hath received
to be made for all that be departed in the christian brother-
hood;
not rehearsing them by name, but in a general remem-

brance
far he: -who though
altogether'." Thus
of them
in some place he
stretch the traditions of the apostles very-
far, yet by these words this seemeth more expressly to be his
meaning; that this rite or order of praying for the dead was
delivered to the church by the fathers, and doubtless many
years after the apostles' time was received of the church.

The same Augustine defendeth in more places than one, that
the receiving of the eucharist, or sacrament of the Lord's
forth of
supper, is as necessary for infants being new come
their mother"'s womb to the attaining of salvation, as the
sacrament of baptism. The chief and notable places, wherein

he handleth that matter, are in his firstbook against Julianus
Pclao-ianus, "c., and in his firstbook de Peccatorum Meritis
2,
et against the Pelagians
Remissions, Neither doth he urge
that opinion with less earnestness than the tradition,because
that was received and very usual in the church in that age.
But who at this day
receiveth that ceremony as
apostolical?
Who seeth not that those good fathers, otherwise most faith-
ful
invention of man ? The
pastors, in that thing suffered some
written doctrine of St Paul
deserveth at this day more to
be esteemed than that ancient tradition of the church. Paul

Let every man examine himself, and so let him
"
writeth :
eat of this bread and drink of this cup."
Whereby all men
understand that the eucharist, or sacrament of the Lord's
supper, is for them to receive that are of perfect age, and
not for infants. For that cause it was lawful for our elders
to forsake that tradition, and to draw more near to the scrip-
ture.
Let them give us leave also
therefore in this matter
to depart from the uncertain tradition of the fathers, and to
cleave to the most assured faith and doctrine of the apostles.
quoquG id oflferricommemoretur. August, de Verbis

" Apost. Serm.
XXXII. 0pp. Tom. X. fol. 84. col. 1. Par. 1532.]
[1 Non sunt prajtermittendse supplicationes pro spiritibus mortu-

orum, quas faciendas pro omnibus in Christiana et catholica societatc
dcfunctis, tacitis nominibus

ctiam quorumque sub generali commcmo-
Id. Tom. iv. fol. 200, col. 2.]
ratione, suscepit ecclesia
[2 Id. Tom. vn. fol. 192, "c., and fol. 134, "c. Par. 1532.]
But
Êrius (saythey)was condemned for this cause, for yi.;rianicon-
' "^^'^
that he behevcd prayers were unprofitable for the dead^. I
know indeed that /Erius was condemned, neither do I take
upon me to defend him, whom Pliylastrius,Epiphanius, and
Augustine do make mention to have been an Arian, and a
man polluted with other foul errors*. But touching prayers
for the dead, whether they be profitable or
unprofitable,
there is no doubt that they are
catholics and not heretics,
who believe that which is deUvered and set down in the
Apostles' creed : for according to the tradition of this
creed
we believe the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection
of this
flesh,and life everlasting. They which believe these things
obtain undoubtedly whatsoever they believe. For the Lord
said to the Centurion : Go thy
"
way, and as thou hast be- Matt. viii.
lieved, so be it done unto thee." Therefore whosoever be-

lieveth forgiveness of sins and lifeeverlasting hath obtained
forgiveness of sins, and surely he shall live in everlasting
life. Which thing, if that be true, as it cannot be false,which
is delivered unto us in the Apostles' creed, what place, I pray
you, shall prayers have for the dead ? For the dead have
their sins forgiven them : therefore all lets and delays unto
lifeare taken away, and so they live with God. But they
"which have not believed have retained and kept their sins
still,and, being cast down into the bottomless lake, stick fast
in the mire of hell. Which things since they are so of a
certainty, truly there is no use of praying for the dead,
neither before God, nor among the faithful. Hereunto are
annexed so many examples of the saints in both the Testa-

ments,
which are to be preferred both before traditions and
condemnations of I pray you, of the holy fa-

men. Which, thers
ever prayed for their dead ? Did Adam pray for his
Abel ? Did the sons pray for their father Adam ? AA^hat
prayers offer to God for the soul of his father
did Abraham
Thare, or for the soul of his most dear wife Sara ? What
prayers poured Esau and Jacob forth for their father Isaac
when he died ? the twelve sons of Israel for Jacob ? Salo-
[3 Bellarmin. Controv. vi. Lib. i. cap. 2. col. 1325.]

[* S. Philastrii Lib. de Hseres. p. 491. "44.Vet. Pat. Bibliotli.Tom.
VII. Ven. 1670. Epiplian. adv. Hseres. Lib. iii. Tom. i. "1. p. 905.
0pp. Tom. I, Par. 1622. August. 0pp. Tom. vi. fol. 6. col. 1. Par.
1532.]
40O THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.
mon for David? In the new Testament John Baptist is

James his
beheaded of Herod, Stephen stoned of the Jews,
head is cut off by the shoulders at the commandment of
Agrippa ; their disciplesbury their bodies, and do all things
rals
fune-
religiouslybelonging to their burials: but in so many
there is no for the souls of
mention made of prayer
the dead ; for they believed that they forthwith after death
were carried into everlasting life. Who then after so many
notable examples, and after so clear profession of the catholic
and sincere faith,can tie us to the necessity of praying for
the souls of the dead ? Who can say hereafter that we are
heretics, who fulfilthat in work which we profess in pro-
fession
of faith or confession of the mouth; yea, which do
no other thing than the most excellent worshippers of God
of both Testaments have done before us ?
Appearing Tho kst post,whcrewith they underprop their purgatory,
lest it should fall,is the appearing of spirits^ For Rabanus,
a bishop, sheweth out of the testimonies of pope Gregory and
reverend Beda, that the souls of dead men have very often
appeared, and taught that oblations and prayers do profit

them very much^. But I wonder that men of learning would
ground their work upon so rotten and ruinous foundations ;
Deut xviii. for the Lord in the law forbiddeth to ask the truth of the
spiritsor souls of the dead. In the Prophets we are sent

isai. viii. from such oracles to the law and the testimony. In Luke
the rich glutton crieth in torments, and saith : I pray thee, "
Lukexvi.
father Abraham, that thou wouldest send Lazarus to my

father's house, for I have five brethren, that he may witness
unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment."
But he heareth:
"They have Moses and the prophets; let
them hear them." But when the rich glutton had answered,
No, father Abraham ; but if one unto them from the
"
come
dead, they will believe and^ repent;" he heareth again, "If

they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe,
[1 Bellarmin. disput. dc Controversiis. Controv. vi. Lib. i. cap. 7.

coll. 1361, 2, 1375, 1384, 1390. Magdeb. Centur. Cent. viii. cap. 13.
col. 498. Vol. 11. Cent. x. cap. 14. col. 385. Cent. xii. cap. 13. col. 886.
Vol. III. Basil. 1624.]
[2Rabani Mauri dc Tnstit. Cleric. Lib. il. cap, 44. Tom. vi. fol.
27. col. 1. Col. Agrip. 162G.]
[3 believe and, not in Lat.]
X.]
if rise from death."
one Therefore it is most certain, and
confirmed by the authority of the gospel, tliat blessed souls'*

are not sent of God unto us to teach us any thing. Who, I
pray you, would give ear to wicked and condemned souls?

The gospel of Christ scndeth us all to the canonical scripture.
Whereupon it followeth,that the testimonies which are fetched
from oracles or appearings of the spiritsof the dead arc of no
weight, but most deceivable and fall of lying.

Man's testimonies are agreeable with God's; which also That souis
... sfjiaraled
, n .....
teach us, that souls bemg

' separated
1
from their bodies cannot fron. their
O boilKS do
wander stray in these regions. The words are too long to ""i,^^^"''"
or
rehearse, which Tertullian learnedly disputeth of this matter

'^gions.
in the end almost of his book De Anima ; yet they are all
levelled to this mark, to shew that souls separated from their
bodies, and appointed to their places, do not return again
into this world. To the of some that boast of art
objection
magic, and also that by the power of God many have returned
from the dead into this life,he answereth : " But
although the power of God hath called back again some souls
into their bodies, to give us instructionof his might and right;
yet therefore that shall not be communicated with the credit
and boldness of magicians, and the deceitfulness of dreams,
and licentiousnessof poets : but in the examples of the resur-
rection,
when God's power, either by prophets, or by Christ,
or by apostles, bringeth souls into bodies, it is manifestly
declared by sound, evident, and full truth, that it is the
shape of a true body :that thou mightest judgeall appear-

ings
of dead men without bodies to be delusions^" Therefore
Chrysostom in his twenty-ninth Homily upon Matthew demand-
ing
"
: What then shall we answer to those speeches ; I am
soul ?" he answereth ; It is not the soul of that dead

"
such a
body which speaketh these things, but the devil, who de-
[^ ne beatas quidem animas, Lat. ; that not even blessed
souls.]
[5 Sed etsi quasdam revocavit in corpora Dei virtus, in documenta
jurissui, non idcirco communicabitur fidei et audacise Magorum, efc

fallacisesomnioruin, et licentise poetarum. Atquin in resurrectionis
exemplis, Dei virtus, sive per prophetas, sive per Christum, sive
cum
per apostolos in corpora animas repra?scntat, solida et contrectabili et

satiata veritate, est banc esse formam veritatis, ut om-
pra3judicatum
nem mortuorum exhibitionem incorporalem prajstigias judices. Ter- "
tull. de Anim. cap. 57. 0pp. ed. Semler. Tom. iv. p. 287. Hal. Magd.
1824.]
[bulltnger,in.J
viseth these things to deceive them that hear him." And

anon he saith : Wherefore these arc
"
to be counted the words
of old wives and of dotards, and children's toys and phan-

tasies."
And again : " A soul separated from the body
cannot wander in these regions. For the souls of the right-
eous
are in the hands of God, and the souls of infants like-
wise
for they have not sinned. And the souls of the wicked
:
after this life are by and by carried away : which is made
apparent by Lazarus and the rich glutton. But in another
place the Lord also saith : This night they shall require thy
'
Luke xii.
soul again from thee.' Therefore the soul, when it departeth

from the body, cannot wander here with us : and that not
without cause. For if they which go a journey,

chancing
into unknown countries, know not whither they are like to
go, except they have a guide ; how much more shall the soul
be ignorant whither it shall go, after it hath left the body
and entereth altogether into a new life and strange way,
unless it have a guide ! Out of many places of the scripture

it may that the souls of justand righteous men
be proved,
*
For Stephen
Acts vii.
do not go astray after death. saith, Lord
*
Phil. i. Jesu, receive my spirit.' And Paul desired to be loosed and

Gen. XXV. to be with Christ. Of the patriarch the scripture also saith,
*He died inquiet (orgood)age, and was gathered unto (or
a
Luke xvi. laid by) his fathers.' And that the souls of the wicked cannot
tarry or have their abiding here, give ear what the rich
glutton saith, and consider what he craveth, and obtaineth not.
For if the souls of men might be conversant here, he had come
himself as he desired, and had certified his brethren of the
torments of hell. Out of which place of scripture this also
plainly appeareth ; that souls after their going out of the body
are carried into some certain appointed place, from whence
they cannot return of their own accord when they will
return, but wait and look for that terrible day of judgment^"
Thus much hitherto out of Chrysostom.
[1 non errare liic,Lat. ; do not wander up and down here.]

[2 AvTo\, (pTjaiv, tacfiovcivTfsôa"cnv,on be'ivos tyco.
01
i/'v^V'"""^
Ov yap j; ^vx^
'AXXa koI aTraTT] 8iaô\iKi].
tov
Koi TovTO o-ktjvt] tis reXeu-
TTjKOTOS i"Tr\v Tj jSocHaa,aXX' 6 BaifxcovvrroKpivofifvos raira cocrre aTrnTrjcrai

to. koi
Toiis aKOVovTas, . .
."Qare ypa'idltovp.(6v6vToovravra pjjpara, naiScciv

Ov8e evi Toxi ivravda
fxoppoXvKeia. yafi airoppaye'icrav
yf/vx^v aciparos
SiKaicovev X^'P' "foC* 8e ai rav diKalcov,
irkavaaOai.Xoinov
ft
yap
"\|/-i'x"i
X.]
Against these things they oppose the appearing of Samuel samuci
fetched from the holy scriptures; whereby they go about to ap-

'J^;;'"'
prove
that souls return again after death, and instruct men '" ''*"'"
touching things which they shall demand. AVe answer in

few words, that that disguised masker, which seemed to be
Samuel, was called Samuel by a trope or figure,but in very

deed he was not Samuel: for of a certainty it was a
spirit,isam.xxMii.
a jugglingand delusion of Satan. For sorcery is straitly
forbidden in the law of the Lord : therefore blessed spirits
obey not forbidden ways and unlawful practices, which, when
they were as
with their fleshlybodies, by all means
yet joined
abhorred and resisted them in their assaults : as for damned
spirits, they exercise themselves therein. But who would
believe their oracles? SamueP (say they) foretold what
happened the morrow after. And what of that ? That was
no hard matter for the devil, since that the true and living
Samuel foretold many things a littlewhile before : but this
crafty fox might foreknow the judgmentof God which was
to come, even by things present, and by the fear and quaking
of the hosts. Tertullian in his book De Anima saith :

God should believe that the soul of any saint,
forbid
"
we
much less the soul of a prophet, can be fetched up by the devil;

since we have learned that Satan is transformed into an
KcX ai ToiV
TTaiBoiV oibe yap iKtivai TTOvrjpai' Koi al Tu"v afjLapTa"\a"vde
fvdeas ivrevdev drrayovTai. Kat 8tjXovdno tov Aa^dpov koi tov irXovaiov.
Kai aXXa;ô{} 8e 6 Xptorof ^rjpepov ttjv crov aTrairova-iv dno
cftTjcriv y^vxrjv
"rov. Kai ou;^ 0101* re tov aaiparos ivravda
"\|'v;^j)i'
eêXdovaav TrXavdcrdaf
iv
Ka\ paXicTTa (IkotcoS' ft
yap yfjâblôvresttj crvvrjOeiKa\ yvatpipa, Ka\
aapa neptKeipevoi, orav 6
êvrjv 86v 68evcopev, iroiav eXdf'iu Sei ovk 'Icrpev
av pr) TOV e^mpev, ttcos tj tov crcopaTOs
êtpayayovvTa UTTOppayficra "y/u;^?;,
Kat
TTJs (TvvrjdeiaieêXdovcra
Trdarjs, etWraf ttov Set â8iêivlivev tov
KadobrjyovvTOs avTrjv ; kcu
iroXXaôdev 8e iTfpadfV av Tis xart'Sot,oti ovk
evt ivTavda peivaf /cat
yap 6 'STecpavos Aeâtto
'^vx^veêXdovarav (prjaf
TTvevpa pov
"
/cat 6 JJaiyXos, To dvaXvaai /cat crvv 'Kpio'T^
eivat
ttoXXo)
8e fj Kat
pdXXov KpeiTTov Ka\ Tvepl tov (pTjcriv
naTpidpxov ypa(f)r]- Trpoae-
tovs avTOV, iv "Ort 8e tcov
Tedrj irpos naTepas Tpa(pf\s y^peiKaXoy, ovSe al
apapTcoXav i|/-v;âi evTavda 8vvavTai,
Starpi'/Sfii/ aKovaov tov
TrXovcriov TroXXa
'Qs
vnep TovTov
TrapaKoXovvTos, Ka\ ovk
eTrcTvyxdvovTos. e'lye tjv 8vvaTijv,
avTos av
rjXde Ka\ dv^yyeiXe
to
cKel yeyevT]peva.
"Odev SJyXoi/ort peTo. ti-jv
evTcvOev aTTodrjpiav els p^wpaj/ Tivd dirdyovTai al ^vxa\,ovk eri KVpiai ovcrai
eTraveXOflv, dXXd ttjv dvapevovaai. Chrysostom.

"
(Ke'ivrjv (f)o(3epav rjpepav

Horn, in Matth. xxviii. (al. foil. 336, 7. Tom. vii. Par. 1727.]
xxix.)
[3 Sed proedixit,Lat. ; But Samuel, "c.]
angel of light, much more into a man of light ; yea, that he

will pretend that he is God, and will shew wonderful signs, to
overthrow, if it were possible, even the elect^" "c. St
Augustine is of the same judgmentconcerning that appear-
ing.
Lib. ad SimpUcianum ii. qua3at. 3 ; and ad Didcitii
quaest.2"c.
Bj
these testimonies it is abundantly declared, I trust,
that souls of men separated from bodies do not wander or
appearafter death in these regions ; for they remain until
judgment in the places appointed for them by the determi-
nation
and providence^ of God. Wherefore they are neither

sent by God, neither can they enter in unto men to instruct
and warn them either of things present or of things to come.

Whereupon it foUoweth, that appearing of souls, that revela-
tions
and oracles, are mere delusions of Satan, ordained con-
trary
sincerity and pureness of true religion. And
to the
because they which do what they can to prove unto us that
there is purgatory use the defence and safeguard of these

vanities ; it is undoubtedly true that they prove a falsehood
by deceit, and an uncertain thing by a thing of much more
uncertainty. Furthermore, it remaineth undoubtedly true,
that purgatory, wherein souls having put oif their bodies

should be purged unto lifeeverlasting,cannot be shewed out
of the scriptures.
Souls have removed and put by the lets which
And because we
certainly and .
i "
i i i "
^mediately
were cast m the way to hmder the most speedy journey, we
return to our purpose ; wherein we intended to declare that

hod'^re'^^
blessed.
Separated by death from the body,
^j^gsouls of the faitliful.
do immediately after the death of the body pass the right and
ready way into heaven, and so most certainly and upon the
sudden be saved. Likewise we understand, that the souls of
the unfaithful are thrust down the right and ready way into
hell, and that by and by after the death of the body they
perish with most certain and sudden damnation. For the
[1 Absit alioquin ut aiiimam sancti,

cujuslibet nedum prophetce, a
deemonio crcdamus extractam, edocti quod ipse Satanas trausfiguretur
in angelum lucis, etiam Deum se
adseveraturus, signaque portentosiora
editurus, ad evertendos, si fieri possit, electos " TertuU. dc Anim. cap.
67. ed. Semlor. Tom. iv. p.
286.]
[2 August. 0pp. Tom. iv. fol. 139. col. 1. and fob 142. coll. 3, 4.
Par. 1532.]
[3 and providence, not in Lat.]
X.]
Lord expressly saith in the gospel :
''
lie that believcth in the Joimiu.
Son of God is not condemned (orjudged); but he tliatbelicv-
eth not is condemned (orjudged)already, because he hath

not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Again: "He that believeth in the Son of God hath eternal [v.3c.]
life; but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life,but
the wrath of God abideth on him." And yet again : This tvi.4o.] "
is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the
Son, and believeth on him, hath everlastinglife;and I willraise
him up at the last day." Now the last day of man is the I'he last day
point of death in it Christ saveth us by his power, lest our

:
soul should either perish or feel any torments, but that it
might live and everlasting blessedness. Moreover',

enjoy
the last day is that last day of judgment,
wherein Christ shall
raise again and judge all flesh, glorifying the bodies of his
faithfulpeople unto lifeeverlasting.
Again the Lord saith in the gospel : Verily, verily, I john
"
v.
say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him

that sent me, hath everlasting life,and shall not come into
judgment(or damnation) ; but is escaped from death unto
life." These only words of our Lord are able enough (with-
out
any to set forth, declare, prove, and confirm
gain-saying)
sufficientlyour opinion concerning the most certain and sudden
salvation of souls. For firstof all,lest any man should doubt
of the most assured truth touching the matter which he was
setting forth, immediately upon the beginning most holily he
sweareth, that is to say, he confirmeth the truth by giving
witness thereunto with an oath. Afterwards he annexeth
the whole manner of our salvation; which consisteth in hearing
the word of God, and in true faith which receiveth the truth of
God's word : for it is not enouo;h to have heard the word of
the gospel, unless we cleave unto the same by true faith.
But mark with what assurance
now Christ promiseth lifeand
salvation to them that believe in him :

"
He hath lifeeverlast-
ing,"
saith he: he said, "he hath," not, he shall have. There-
fore
he left no
space either to doubting, or to space of time.
Yea, yet more plainly,by interpretation expounding when and
how the faithfulhave or obtain life,he saith : " He shall not
[4 Est prseterea, "c. Lat. Again the last day is. In these two
senses Bullinger also explains "the last day" in Comment, in Joan, in
loo.
cit.]
406 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SKRM.
come into judgment(ordamnation), but is escaped from death
unto life." They come into judgment, which have their cause
to be examined and discussed before the judge. They come
also into judgment,which by the sentence of the judge are
punished for their evil cause. But the faithful have no cause
to be tried and discussed before the judge; for their sins
are fully forgiven them. and for-
"It is God which justifieth
Who is he that condemneth ?" Therefore they are
giveth.
not to any punishments; for Christ bare the punish-
ment
subject
of the cross, that his faithful people might be delivered
But rather, lest any
and saved harmless from all torments.
man should think there were a stay or space of time between
the death of the body and the life of the world to come, he
saith :
"
But is escaped from death unto life." Lo, he saith,
"He is escaped," not, He shall escape; that by the verb of the
preter tense he might signify the certainty of the time past',
and might shew that the souls of them that believe are by
life ever-
and by after the death of the body caught up into lasting.
And I know well enough that the adversaries here
have no
sound argument to set against so manifest and invin-
cible
a truth. Indeed, with their wrangling words and their
sophistry they may wrestle with the truth; but to overthrow

the truth they are never able. For the souls of the faithful
even out of the very mouth (asis commonly said, " Von muncl
auf zu
himmel faren^")upon sudden enter into their blessed
a
seats, and by faith

enjoy everlasting felicity.
Ao-ain, read in the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ
we
to John the apostle, that it was said: "And I heard a

made
from heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the
voice
dead which hereafter die in the Lord^ : even so saith the
Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works
follow them." In these words an heavenly and undoubted
oracle touching; the blessednesses of all such as

die in faith is
knit up : and St John is commanded to write the oracle from
[1 of the time past, not in Lat.]

[2 Ascend to heaven from the very mouth.]
[3 So Tyndale, 1525 ; Coverdale, 1535; Cranmer, 1539; and the

Geneva version, 1557. The Vulgate reads, Aniodo jam dioit Sph-itus,
(From henceforth saith the Spirit, Douay) ; but Erasmus
now, notes :
Grseci sic distinguunt, ut amodo sit finis sentential, ut sit sensus, Post-
Tiac fore bcatos, in Domino
qui fuerint mortui. Annot. in loc.j
OF THE RE.\50XABLE SOUL OF MAN. 407
X.]
heaven, that it may remain to all times, and bo read of all
is this, Blessed are the dead, "
people. The sum of the oracle

But they die in the Lord,
which hereafter die in the Lord."
whosoever depart out of this life in the faith of Jesus Christ ;
for so the apostle useth this kind of speech in the 1 Cor. xv.
and 1 Thess. iv. Furthermore, they which depart out of this

life in the faith of Jesus Christ are simply and truly pro-
nounced
blessed, to wit, happy and free from all misery. Yea,
a of the time when

note they shall obtain this blessedness is
added, namely, Hereafter {d-TrapTi), that is to say, presently,
at an instant^ by and by, out of hand, to wit, as the Lord

death of the body.
saith in the gospel, forthwith after the
There is added also another testimony, whereby again the
too not de-
layed
certainty of felicity is expressed, and perfection
saith the Spirit, that they
Even
"
tillthe morrow : so,
The Spirit, I mean, of truth,

may rest from their labours."
lie, saith, is to say. Amen, it is :
val, that
so
which cannot
truly the faithful are blessed indeed ; and even at an instant
they blessed; and so blessed, that "they rest from their

are
labours." The labours of the faithful are miseries, calamities,

sorrow,
afflictions, fear or dread, and other evils of this sort,
wherewith in this world they are vexed, yea, rather exercised

in faith. From these things the souls of the faithful departing
from their bodies are delivered : therefore they are not purged
by torments in the midst
vexations, they are not scorched
and
of their journey; but, being happy and
blessed, are forthwith
delivered from all anguish and trouble. And if so be that
they suffered anything whiles they were yet living in the

body, if they did any good works in faith, they "do follow
them." Let think that those works, because they now
no man
in
cease, were and are vain ; for they receive their reward
that blessed life. For that it is, that
"
their works do follow
them." And let us mark, that he saith not, the works of
other follow them, to deliver them
forsooth out of purgatory;
For in the gospel also,
but, their own works follow them.
the wise virgins, which had oil ready in their lamps, went in
with the bridegroom to the marriage : the foolish virgins,
[4 dnaprt significat, ab instanti, ab ilia hora, protinus et continue,

einswegs, von stand an. Bulling, in Apoc. Cone. 65. p. 205, Basil.
1570.]
408 THE FOURTH DECADE. [sERM.X.]
oil, but did hope to have

"which hacU prepared themselves no
from elsewhere to serve their turn, are excluded and shut out
from joy.
To the omnipotent God therefore, our most merciful
Father, and continual running fountain of all good graces
drawn dry, who fashioned body in our
and -which is never our
and breathed or poured into it a reasonable

mother's womb,
soul, which might whilst it is joined to the body quicken and

direct us, and when it is separated from the body might with
forth-
be translated into heaven,
after the death of the body
there to live in joy and happiness until it return again
unto the body being raised from the dead in the last
judgment, the it may be

with which rejoiceand
glad for ever and without end ; to that God,
I say, through Jesus Christ, for whose
sake we are made partakers of

so great a benefit, be glory,
praise, and thanksgiv-

ing
for evermore.
Amen.
[' in vita, Lat. omitted; in their lifetime.]

Bullinger's Decades. BX
5035
"
P2
38
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vol.4
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2012-08-14 17:31:49 UTC

^n^tituttn 'Si.m. pi.JBiKaTCxa.

iFor tfteDutJlication of ttje SSUorfeo of tfjc ^atficre

auD ^arlp 8y!3ritfr0 of tftclaeformrD

MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF ZURICH.

THE FOURTH DECADE.

Etc liatfeer Society,

REV. THOMAS HARDING, A.M.,

or WORCESTER COLLEGE, OXFORD, AND VICAR OF BEXLEV, IN KENT.

THE UNIVERSITY PRESS.

AoDExnA and Errata vii

The Fourth Decade.

The First Sermon ........

Tlie Second Sermon ....... 55

Dedication to Edward ^'1 115

Tlie Third Sermon 123

The Fourtli Sermon 173

Tlic Fifth Sermon 194

The Sixth Sermon 208

Tlie Seventh Sermon 273

The Eighth Sermon 297

The Ninth Sermon 327

The Tenth Sermon SfiS

Ourselves we do not owe.

Page 73, note 9, f

223, line 5, place a comma at obedient.

304, " 9, place a comma after curiously.

FOURTH DECADE OF SERMONS,

OF THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD, WHO HATH

THE FIRST SERMON.

After exposition of the law, and those points of

[1 verse salutis omnia, Lat, ; all things pertaining to true salva-

[2 aut legi utcunqiie adhserent, Lat. omitted ; or are in some way

edification, the translator's addition.]

apostles did willingly use that term ; not so much

the captive, and recovering of sight unto the blind, freely

acceptable year of the Lord." Lo here, the Saviour of the

world doth in the prophet and the evangelist expound to us

saith he, hath sent me

or broken- minded ;" to wit, such as find in themselves no

soundness or but, utterly despairing of their own

strength, do wholly depend upon the help of Christ their

[^ Bullinger refers to the Hebrew word "IJiJ^^

[2 whereunto " Evangelium,

this sort defined : The gospel is a good

evident sentence of the eternal God, brought down from

joy,that shall be to all people : for unto you is born this

promised afore of God by the

prophets in the holy scripture of his Son, which was made

tifieth, by his resurrection from the dead." And again :

yet again more briefly he saith : "

of God unto salvation to all that do believe ;" that is to say,

and brightness of the Father. Now Christ bringeth sal-

gospel : The gospel is the heavenly preaching of God's grace so^pei.

[7 revelationem mysterii, Lat.]

to u3-ward, wherein it is declared to all the world, being set

eternal salvation, as he that for us men was incarnate, dead,

consisteth of justparts, which being once severally

evidently perceive the nature, causes, effects,and whatsoever

God our heavenly Father did himself firstpreach that tidmgs

hath seen God at any time ; the only-begotten Son, which

again : He that cometh from on high is above all : he that

is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth : he that